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God's Arsenal
The Libraries of the Society of Jesus in the Early Modern Age (1540â1773)
Series: - Library of the Written Word, Volume: 148
- Library of the Written Word - The Handpress World, Volume: 148
Author:
This book offers the first comprehensive study of how Jesuit libraries were created, organised, and used across early modern Europe and throughout the overseas missions. Drawing on a broad range of archival and printed sources, including administrative records, lending registers, internal regulations, visitation reports, and personal correspondence, it reconstructs the daily management of collections and the reading practices within Jesuit institutions. By reconstructing the concrete gestures through which books were selected, classified, consulted, and circulated, and by showing how rules were followed, stretched, or ignored, the study exposes the procedural backbone that supported Jesuit teaching, scholarship, and institutional order. It also proposes a structured method for approaching the cultural and social history of these libraries, offering a new way to interpret the wider Jesuit knowledge system.
This is a thorougly revised and augmented translation of Come le Armadure e lâArmi: Per una storia delle antiche biblioteche della Compagnia di Gesù. Con il caso di Perugia (Florence: Leo S. Olschki, 2016).
This is a thorougly revised and augmented translation of Come le Armadure e lâArmi: Per una storia delle antiche biblioteche della Compagnia di Gesù. Con il caso di Perugia (Florence: Leo S. Olschki, 2016).
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Natale Vacalebre is Beatriz Galindo Distinguished Professor in the Department of History and Philosophy at the University of Alcalá. His research covers the history of the book, libraries and reading, Jesuit book culture, Danteâs reception and popular print. He has published widely as author and editor in these areas.
Acknowledgements
List of Figures and Tables
Abbreviations
Note on Translations
1 Introduction
â2âColleges, Books and the Ratio Studiorum: a Question of Method
â1âColleges and Teaching
â2âDrafting the Ratio Studiorum
â3âThe Organisation of Studies
3 The Libraries of the Society of Jesus
â1âColleges and Libraries: the Societyâs Constitutions
â2âThe First Library Regulation: Coimbra (1545)
â3âFrom Jerónimo Nadalâs Regulations to the Regulae Praefecti Bibliothecae (1553â1582)
â4âImplementation of Jesuit Library Regulations
â5âLibrary Regulations in the Ratio Studiorum: the Selection of Books
â6âThe Bibliographical Selection Process: Catalogues, Internal Lists, and Repertories
â7âChannels of Book Acquisition
â8âForbidden Books and Censorship
â9âClassification and Cataloguing
â10âLibrary Services and Spaces
4 The Library of the Jesuit College in Perugia (1552â1773)
â1âThe Society of Jesus in Perugia
â2âRelations with the University
â3âThe College Library: Formation and Development
â4âThe Inventory of 1565
â5âThe Development of the Library
â6âThe Library Structure
â7âTowards an Interpretation of the Library: Catalogues and Inventories
5 Conclusions
Documentary Appendices
Appendix 1: Cardinal Ghislieriâs Privilege on Banned Books
Appendix 2: Nadalâs Order on Banned Books for the Spanish Assistance
Appendix 3: Rule 8 of Il P. Giulio Negroni della Compagnia di Gesù sulle Regole Comuni della medesima Compagnia. Compendiato e tradotto
Appendix 4: Precepts on the Book Lending from the College of Huesca
Bibliography
Index of Names
List of Figures and Tables
Abbreviations
Note on Translations
1 Introduction
â2âColleges, Books and the Ratio Studiorum: a Question of Method
â1âColleges and Teaching
â2âDrafting the Ratio Studiorum
â3âThe Organisation of Studies
3 The Libraries of the Society of Jesus
â1âColleges and Libraries: the Societyâs Constitutions
â2âThe First Library Regulation: Coimbra (1545)
â3âFrom Jerónimo Nadalâs Regulations to the Regulae Praefecti Bibliothecae (1553â1582)
â4âImplementation of Jesuit Library Regulations
â5âLibrary Regulations in the Ratio Studiorum: the Selection of Books
â6âThe Bibliographical Selection Process: Catalogues, Internal Lists, and Repertories
â7âChannels of Book Acquisition
â8âForbidden Books and Censorship
â9âClassification and Cataloguing
â10âLibrary Services and Spaces
4 The Library of the Jesuit College in Perugia (1552â1773)
â1âThe Society of Jesus in Perugia
â2âRelations with the University
â3âThe College Library: Formation and Development
â4âThe Inventory of 1565
â5âThe Development of the Library
â6âThe Library Structure
â7âTowards an Interpretation of the Library: Catalogues and Inventories
5 Conclusions
Documentary Appendices
Appendix 1: Cardinal Ghislieriâs Privilege on Banned Books
Appendix 2: Nadalâs Order on Banned Books for the Spanish Assistance
Appendix 3: Rule 8 of Il P. Giulio Negroni della Compagnia di Gesù sulle Regole Comuni della medesima Compagnia. Compendiato e tradotto
Appendix 4: Precepts on the Book Lending from the College of Huesca
Bibliography
Index of Names
Bibliographers, book and library historians, specialists in Jesuit studies, intellectual and cultural historians, and doctoral or postdoctoral researchers in early modern cultural history. Keywords: Book history, library history, religious libraries, library catalogues, Jesuit Studies, Jesuit libraries, book ownership, book circulation, book trade, printing, publishers, censorship, reading practices, scholarly practices, knowledge organisation, early modern libraries, Jesuit book culture, intellectual networks, cataloguing practices, institutional collections, provenance, collection management, educational books, religious print, early modern scholarship, bibliographical practices, archival sources.