The Correspondence of Christofforo Suriano (1616-1623)

Edited by: Dr Nina Lamal
With collaboration of: Romée van Dommele, Dorian Hagendoorn
Project lead: Dr Helmer Helmers
Transcriptions by: Dr Alexa Bianchini, Dr Ruben Celani, Dr Flavia Di Giampaolo, Dr Federica D’Uonno, Dr Vera Frantellizzi, Dr Cristina Lezzi, Dr Giorgia Proietti, Dr Angelo Restaino, Dr Filippo Sedda

Christofforo Suriano was the first Venetian envoy in the Dutch Republic. This digital edition discloses all letters Suriano sent to the Venetian Senate between 1616 and 1623, totaling ca. 7,000 pages. Suriano’s correspondence is of great value to Dutch and European history in the early seventeenth century. It marks, moreover, the starting point of official Dutch-Italian diplomatic relationships.

At the start of the seventeenth century, the Dutch Republic was a newcomer on the international stage. After the conclusion of the Truce with Spain in 1609, the Republic sought to build a broad anti-Spanish alliance. The Venetian Republic played a crucial role in this strategy. The Venetians, in turn, had a great need of foreign support in their own wars. Suriano’s arrival, in the Summer of 1616, was therefore of great importance for both republics.

During the seven years Suriano remained in The Hague, he wrote one to three letters to Doge and Senate every week, relating numerous particularities unknown from other sources. For instance, he regularly recorded verbatim the conversations he had with statesmen and diplomats in The Hague. Through this correspondence, moreover, researchers will gain new insights into the development of Venetian-Dutch relations and other important international issues in the running up to the Thirty Years’ War.