Księgozbiór prywatny neapolitańskiego biskupa Michele Natale – ofiary terroru w roku 1799

Abstract

The legend of the heroes of the “passive revolution” of 1799, the creators of the Parthenopean Republic, still affects the modern culture and political tradition of south Italy, formed in the area of the old Kingdom of Naples. One of the prominent figures of the Neapolitan Republic was the bishop of Vico Equense, Michele Natale, an owner of a private library. Bibliographic analysis of his collection, together with the ideas of social history and biographic facts, confirms the significant role of readership in devloping social awareness. The present article makes a contribution to the knowledge of world’s history, and suggests original methodological solutions for researchers examining private book collections.