Francesco Guicciardini

Francesco Guicciardini
Posthumous portrait of Guicciardini c. 1605, by Cristofano dell'Altissimo
Born	6 March 1483 Florence, Republic of Florence
Died	22 May 1540(1540-05-22) (aged 57) Arcetri, Duchy of Florence
Resting place	Church of Saint Felicity of Florence
Nationality	Italian
Occupation(s)	Historian, statesman, ambassador
Known for	Storia d'Italia (History of Italy)

Francesco Guicciardini (Italian: [franˈtʃesko ɡwittʃarˈdiːni]; 6 March 1483 – 22 May 1540) 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.