Francesco Guicciardini

Francesco Guicciardini was an Italian historian and statesman. A friend and critic of Niccolò Machiavelli, he is considered one of the major political writers of the Italian Renaissance. In his masterpiece, The History of Italy, Guicciardini paved the way for a new style in historiography with his use of government sources to support arguments and the realistic analysis of the people and events of his time.

6 March 1483

Born on the same birth day (6 March): Antoine-François Andréossy • Bob Wills • Brad Schumacher • Christian Coleman • Darrick Martin • Duan Qirui • John II of Castile • Josh Hart • Luigi Alamanni • Peter Brötzmann • Shaquille O'Neal • Stephen Schwartz