Through Francesco Bianchini, the 'greatest Italian of his time' this book explores the exciting meeting of science, history, and politics in early modern Europe. Born in a time where entry into the church granted power, privilege, and access to the most exciting ideas of his time, the magnificent Monsignor Francesco Bianchini was an accomplished player in the political, scientific, and historical arenas of early modern Europe. Among his accomplishments were writing a universal history from the creation to the fall of Assyria; discovering, excavating, and interpreting ancient buildings; and designing a papal collection of antiquities that was later partially realized in the Vatican museums. He was also responsible for confirming and publicizing Newton's theories of light and color; discovering several comets; and building the most beautiful and exact heliometer in the world in the basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Rome. Bianchini's international reputation earned him election to the Academie royale des sciences of Paris and the Royal Society of London. As a trusted servant of Pope Clement XI, he helped to execute the difficult balancing act the papacy practiced during the War of the Spanish Succession, which pitted Britain, the Dutch Republic, and the Habsburg Empire against France and Spain. One of his assignments also resulted in attachment to the cause and person of the Old Pretender, James III, the Stuart claimant to the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Through the career of this eminent and adept diplomat, astronomer, archaeologist, and historian, J. L. Heilbron introduces a world of learning and discovery, Church and State, and politics and power.

About the Author
J.L. Heilbron is Professor of History and the Vice Chancellor Emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley, as well as an Honorary Fellow of Worcester College, Oxford. He writes about the history of the physical sciences and their wider cultural context from the 17th to the 20th centuries, and has published the definitive biography of Galileo (OUP, 2010), as well as The History of Physics: A Very Short Introduction (OUP, 2018), Niels Bohr: A Very Short Introduction, (OUP, 2020), and The Ghost of Galileo (OUP, 2021). Heilbron's work has won several prizes and brought him honorary doctorates from multiple universities.

Reviews
Heilbron (vice chancellor emer., Univ. of California, Berkeley) has written the only book length treatment in English of one of the Italian proto-Enlightenment's major figures, Francesco Bianchini (1662-1729)...certainly belongs in graduate history collections, especially at universities with strong programs in the history of science. * Choice *
Heilbron writes with authority and - what is more unusual - genuine passion * Alexander Lee, The Critic *
The Incomparable Monsignor is an informative, entertaining biography of an extraordinary man, today only known in scholarly circles, which also throws some fresh light on European diplomacy, war, science, and scholarship, on the cusp of the eighteenth century. * A.A. Nofi, Strategy Page *
Engaging and highly-readable, this is a lively history of not only an extraordinary individual but also a slice of the science, art, and courtly intrigue of the earth 18th century. * Richard Lofthouse, Quad *
... fascinating biography... Bianchini is a delight to spend time with, and Heilbron... is an erudite and witty guide to the monsignor's world and his work. * Erin Maglaque, New York Review of Books *
Heilbron's biography is very well researched, excellently crafted, and superbly written. * J. P. Byrne, CHOICE Reviews *
This important biography of Francesco Bianchini reveals the significant relations which the Italian historian, antiquarian and astronomer developed with the exiled Stuart King James III during the crucial period following the death of Queen Anne. It should be essential reading for anyone interested in the Stuart court in exile or the Jacobite movement. * Edward Corp, formerly Professor of British History, University of Toulouse *
The Incomparable Monsignor opens a vista on a world of politics, science, antiquities and the church that has never before been so strikingly revealed. Heilbron's Bianchini crossed between Newtonianism, ancient chronology, and astronomy - all while masterfully operating within the close precincts of the Vatican in a time when a misstep could have fateful consequences. A consummate account, beautifully written, of a virtuoso scholar in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. * Jed Buchwald, Dreyfuss Professor of History, Caltech *
The book is reminiscent of Heilbron's much-appreciated biography of Galileo Galilei,...interested readers will certainly find something to their liking in Heibron's rich biography. * Annali D'Italianistica 41 *



Book Information
ISBN 9780192856654
Author J.L. Heilbron
Format Hardback
Page Count 336
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 614g
Dimensions(mm) 240mm * 165mm * 30mm