Paolo Sarpi

The Venetian Servite Paolo Sarpi, as theological adviser to the Republic of Venice, defended its rights against Pope Paul V, who in 1606 excommunicated the Venetians and laid their territory under interdict. His tract against the pope's temporal power was promptly put on the Index. After the dispute ended, Sarpi was attacked by a band of assassins on 5 October 1607 and badly wounded; the attackers found refuge in the Papal States. The Britannica sees the Roman Curia behind it and considers only the degree of Paul V's complicity open; the Catholic Encyclopedia denies that there is sufficient evidence for the complicity of his ecclesiastical enemies.

Life dates

1552-1623 (about 71 years old)

Country

Italy, Vatican City

Institutions

Holy See
Republic of Venice
Servite Order

Category

Violence, Censorship

Level of evidence

B two independent scholarly sources · what does this mean?

Background

Course of events

1. Sarpi was born in Venice on 14 August 1552, entered the Servite order at thirteen and died in Venice in January 1623.
   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel

   „was born at Venice, on the 14th of August 1552“

   Evidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 13 (1912), Michael Ott, Einleitung

   „b. at Venice, 14 August, 1552; d. there 14 or 15 January, 1623“

2. On 5 October 1607 Sarpi was attacked by a band of assassins and left for dead; the wounds were not mortal. The attackers found refuge in the Papal States. Their leader Poma declared that he had acted out of zeal for religion. Sarpi is said to have told his surgeon that he recognised the style of the Roman Curia.
   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel

   „On the 5th of October he was attacked by a band of assassins and left for dead, but the wounds were not mortal.“

   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel

   „The bravos found a refuge in the papal territories.“

   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel

   „“Agnosco stylum Curiae Romanae,” Sarpi himself pleasantly said“

Response of the Church

1. When in 1606 Pope Paul V excommunicated the Venetians and laid their territory under interdict, Sarpi became canonist and theological adviser to the republic. His anonymous tract, which struck at the root of the pope's secular authority, was promptly put on the Index. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia the interdict remained without effect chiefly because of Sarpi's influence and was revoked on 21 April 1607.
   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel

   „by Paul’s excommunication of the Venetians and his attempt to lay their dominions under an interdict“

   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel

   „This book was promptly put upon the Index“

   Evidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 13 (1912), Michael Ott, Lebenslauf

   „the interdict which Paul V placed upon Venice (1606) remained without effect and was revoked (21 April, 1607)“

2. The sources contradict each other on responsibility. According to the Britannica the remark about the Curia's style is incontestably correct, the only question being the degree of Pope Paul V's complicity; plots against Sarpi continued to be formed later. The Catholic Encyclopedia writes that the assault is often ascribed to his ecclesiastical enemies, but that there is not sufficient testimony for their complicity.
   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel

   „The only question can be as to the degree of complicity of Pope Paul V.“

   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Artikel

   „though plots against him continued to be formed“

   Evidence: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 13 (1912), Michael Ott, Lebenslauf

   „is often ascribed to his ecclesiastical enemies, but there is not sufficient testimony for their complicity“

See also

• 1233-1966 · 733 years

  Book burnings and the Index of Forbidden Books

  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Vatican City
  • Anti-Judaism
  • Persecution
  • Censorship

Scholarly literature and reference works

1. Reference work
   Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911): Sarpi, Paolo, 1 January 1911. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
2. Reference work
   The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 13 (1912), Michael Ott: Paolo Sarpi, 1 January 1912. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)

Last changed on 31 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.