Giovanni Gaspare Beretti
(Milano 1660 - 1736)
Benedictine monk, he came in 1676 as a professor of the monastery of San Pietro in Gessate, but soon he was entrusted with the teaching of philosophy and theology in the school of Pavia, where he established his residence.
Member of the commission charged with the survey of St. Augustine’s relics found in the church of San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro, in defense of the response of their authenticity he wrote a work released in 1700 in Milan, anonymously like all his subsequent publications.
In 1701 he began a correspondence with Muratori who has since then influenced all his scientific activity directed to diplomatic, epigraphy, numismatics and medieval local history. His most impressive work was the De Italia medii aevi Dissertatio chorographica (Mediolani, Tip. Societatis Palatinae, 1727; location: 3 M 34), a dissertation on early medieval historical topography of Italy which was published as comment of Tabula Italiae graeco-longobardico-francicae annessa al decimo volume dei Rerum Italicarum Scriptores (location: Cons. 23 4). His death was commemorated by Muratori as “one of 'my dearest friends. Literatus belonged to the first years in Italy he was generous hearted and devoted to the sign”.
Find Manuscripts by Giovanni Gaspare Beretti in Inventario dei manoscritti Ticinesi