Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/987

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cured him the appointment of major-general from the king. In 1646 he was present at the siege of Mardiek, where he was again wounded, and the following year at the siege of Dunkirk. In 1650 he attained the rank of lieutenant-general, and took part in the campaign of Guienne. In 1653 he served under Turenne; and in 1656 commanded the French army in Flanders during the absence of that famous general. After the battle of Dunes in 1658, where he routed the Spanish cavalry, Castelnau was mortally wounded in an attack upon the fort of Leon, and died at Calais, two days after the king had sent him the baton of marshal of France.—J. T.

CASTELNAU, Michel de, Sieur de la Mauvissiere, a celebrated French ambassador and soldier, was born about 1520. He received a good education, and made rapid progress in literature and science. After completing his studies he entered the army, and soon acquired a high reputation for courage and skill in the war between France and Spain. He next entered the navy, and held a command under the grand-prior of France, Francis of Lorraine. His behaviour gained the confidence of the cardinal of Lorraine, who intrusted him with several important missions. The king sent him into Scotland with Mary Stuart, the affianced bride of the dauphin, and afterwards into England for the purpose of conciliating Queen Elizabeth, whom he persuaded not to insist on the restoration of Calais. This successful embassy was followed by various other missions to Germany, the Low Countries, Savoy, and at last to Rome, where Castelnau assisted in procuring the election of Pope Pius IV. On his return to France he re-entered the naval service, in order to serve under his former patron, the grand-prior of France; and it was he who first discovered the Amboise conspiracy. After the death of Francis II. Castelnau accompanied Queen Mary to Scotland, and fought for her cause against her insurgent protestant subjects. He was a judicious and zealous friend of that unfortunate princess, and paid several visits to the English court with the view of effecting a reconciliation between Mary and her rival Elizabeth. The civil war having broken out in France in 1562, Castelnau returned home, and embraced the Roman catholic side, but acted with great moderation. He was present at the battles of Dreux, Jarnac, and Moncontour, and in various ways rendered important services to his party. In 1572 he was intrusted with several missions to England, Germany, and Switzerland; and in 1574 he was sent by Henry III. as his ambassador to the English court, where he continued to reside for two years. When Henry IV. ascended the throne he treated Castelnau, in spite of his former support of the Romish league, with great regard, and intrusted him with various confidential missions. Castelnau died in 1592. His "Memoirs," published in 1731, in three vols. folio, were composed during his residence at the English court. They are of great value to the historian.—J. T.

CASTELNAU, Pierre, a Cistercian monk of the convent of Fontfroide, near Narbonne, who was invested by Innocent III. with the title of legate, and, along with two other monks of the same convent, sent against the Albigenses, commissioned to exterminate the heretics by fire and sword. Raymond VI. of Toulouse opposed to the fury of the legate a cool determination to protect the lives of his subjects, which so irritated Castelnau that he excommunicated the count. This bold measure a gentleman of the count's retinue resented by following the legate to some distance from Toulouse, and, after a short preliminary dispute, stabbing him with his poniard (1208).—J. S., G.

CASTELVETRO, Ludovico, an Italian critic and miscellaneous writer, born of a noble family at Modena in 1505. He studied with distinction at Bologna, Parma, Siena, and Padua, and at the conclusion of his university career was offered a bishopric, which his determination to devote himself exclusively to study prevented him from accepting. His acquaintance with the structure of his native tongue was reputed unequalled, and he was recognized throughout Italy as the supreme authority on all philological questions. This flattering recognition of his scholarly attainments, as appeared in his famous controversy with Annibale Caro about one of his sonnets, had a pernicious effect on his temper, which was originally none of the best. The literary squabble of these two eminent men had unfortunate consequences for Castelvetro, who, it is said, was accused by his opponent of atheism, and obliged to save himself from the fangs of the inquisition by a timely flight. During his exile he wrote his corrections of Varchi's Ercolano, and an admirable version of Aristotle's Poetics. He died at Chiavenna in 1571.—A. C. M.

CASTI, Gian Battista, an Italian poet, born at Prato or at Montefiascone, was educated at the seminary of the latter place. In his sixteenth year he obtained a professorship of belles-lettres, and a few years later was appointed to a canonry, which, after the success of his first poetical publication had opened up to him a more congenial line of life, he resigned. He afterwards lived a gay and somewhat profligate life at various courts, residing for a number of years at Vienna, where he was honoured with the laureateship. His principal works are—"Novelle Galanti;" a satire on the court of Catherine II. of Russia; five dramas in the manner of Metastasio; and "Gli Animai Parlanti." He died at Paris in 1803.—A. C. M.

CASTIGLIONE, Baldassare, a distinguished Italian statesman and author, born of a noble family in the duchy of Mantua in 1478. He was related by his mother's side to the ducal family of Gonzaga, and was educated under the direction of the two most eminent scholars of the period, Merula and Calcondilo. Having embraced a military career, he served under Ludovico Sforza, then under his relative Gonzaga, and afterwards under the duke of Urbino, by whom he was sent as ambassador to Henry VIII. of England. Returning to Urbino, he was raised to the dignity of count, and on the accession of Leo X. to the popedom, despatched as ambassador to Rome, where his diplomatic talents procured him the favour and confidence of Leo and his successor, Clement. He was frequently employed by the latter pontiff in negotiations with Charles V., at whose court he was for some time resident, and whose favour he so conciliated as to be appointed to a bishopric, and raised to the rank of a Spanish grandee. Having fallen under a suspicion of venality during his residence at Madrid, he did not return to Rome, but occupied himself in voluntary exile with his famous work, "Il Cortigiano." He died at Toledo in 1529, leaving a variety of poetical compositions, and a most interesting collection of letters.—A. C. M.

* CASTIGLIONE, Carlo Ottaviano, Count of, an eminent Italian numismatist and linguist, was born of a patrician family at Milan towards the end of the eighteenth century. In 1819 he published a volume entitled "Monete Cufiche dell' I. R. Museo di Milano," which at once established his fame as an antiquarian. With the assistance of the celebrated Angelo Maio, he also published in 1817 the fragments of Ulphilas, lately discovered by Maio in the Ambrosian library. He has since given to the world various works of biblical criticism.—A. C. M.

CASTIGLIONE, Giovanni Benedetto, called Grechetto, a distinguished Genoese painter, born in 1616. He studied under Battista Paggi, and afterwards in the school of Giovanni Andrea de Ferrari. But probably his best art-education was derived from the instruction and friendship of Vandyck, who was at that time visiting Genoa, and who is reputed to have taken the student by the hand and encouraged him in every way in the practice of his art. He painted almost every branch of subject—history, animal, landscape, portrait. His rural subjects were his most successful, and so probably the most congenial to his own tastes. His groups of animals, cattle caravans, shepherds and flocks, are accounted to be unsurpassed for truth, colour, and correctness of drawing. His manner is marked by a certain proneness to red in his tones. His landscapes were also singularly felicitous. But his higher style of works is noteworthy. His "Nativity," "Magdalene," and "St. Catherine," at Genoa, are very highly esteemed. He visited Rome, Naples, Florence, Parma, and Venice; found liberal patrons, such as Sacredo, the Venetian senator, and the duke of Mantua, and yet contrived to die poor in 1670. The etchings of this artist are also remarkable. He left about seventy plates, distinguished by their vigorous and tasteful execution. Some in their free effects of light approach the power of Rembrandt. Among his principal works are—"The Animals entering the Ark," "Rachel hiding her Father's Gods," "The Angel appearing to Joseph," "The Nativity," "The flight into Egypt," "Diogenes," "Fauns and Satyrs," and two sets of heads.—W. T.

CASTIGLIONE, Valerio, a learned Italian writer, born at Milan in 1593, entered at an early age the order of the Benedictines, among whom he acquired distinction as an orator. Pope Innocent X. bestowed on him the dignity of prior. He wrote a history of Louis XIII. of France, and one of Charles Emmanuel of Savoy. Of his numerous works, in Latin and in Italian, we may mention his "History of the Revolutions of Piedmont;" "Clio," an Italian poem in blank verse; and his "Elogium de