Baldassare Castiglione, an Italian statesman and author, born at Casatico, near Mantua, Dec. 6, 1478, died at Toledo, Spain, Feb. 2, 1529. His career commenced in the military service of the duke of Milan, but he is better known as a diplomatist, in which capacity he was intrusted by the dukes of Urbino with important missions to Henry VII. of England, Louis XII. of France, and Pope Leo X. He became a favorite of this pontiff, and was regarded as one of the ornaments of his court. Clement VII. subsequently sent him as nuncio to Madrid, but shortly after his arrival Rome was sacked by the imperialists under the constable de Bourbon. It was not possible for Casti-glioneto have foreseen or prevented this catastrophe, but the reproaches of those who insinuated that he had been neglectful of the interests of his country preyed upon his mind and hastened his end. He was universally lamented, and the emperor Charles V., in announcing his death, exclaimed, "One of the truest gentlemen in Christendom is dead." Cas-tiglione was not a voluminous writer, but his published works are models of composition.

His work on court life, entitled II libro del cor-tegiano, was first printed by Aldus in 1528, and a version was published in London in 1727. He also published Italian and Latin poems and two volumes of letters.