Friedrich Spanheim - Histoire De La Papesse Jeanne Fidelement Tire'e De La Dissertation Latine - 1695

A pivotal work of 17th-century historical polemic, many writers of the time were beginning to debunk the legend of Pope Joan, this work is famous for doing the opposite: it provides an exhaustive defense of her existence.
This book was a weapon in the religious wars of the period. For Protestants like Spanheim, proving that a woman had "infiltrated" the papacy was a way to challenge the infallibility and the unbroken succession of the Catholic Church. While modern historians concluded the story was a myth, Spanheim’s work remains the most "scholarly" attempt to treat the legend as fact.
Full leather binding with gilt title and decorations to spine, all edges mottled. General wear to exteriors as shown with some marks and scuffs. Bookplate and small library label to front pastedown. Inner joints cracked. Small pencil notes to ffep verso and first blank recto. Title printed in red and black. Pages collate as complete, with frontispiece. Light age toning and a few little marks, otherwise pages are generally clean as shown.
Pages: [44], 320pp, [4], frontispiece.

Weight: 320g