Ermolao Barbaro

Ermolao Barbaro, in Latin Hermolaus Barbarus (21 May 1454 14 June 1493), was a Venetian Renaissance humanist, diplomat and churchman. From 1491, he was the patriarch of Aquileia. He is often called "the Younger" to distinguish him from his cousin, Ermolao Barbaro the Elder.

Education Ermolao Barbaro was born in Venice, the son of Zaccaria Barbaro, and the grandson of Francesco Barbaro. There was also a dispute between Venice and the Papacy as to who should nominate Patriarchs of Aquileia. Venice believed that the Pope, in appointing Barbaro without Venetian support, and ignoring the candidate Venice had nominated was violating Venice's rights. Barbaro was accused of treason and the Venetian Senate ordered him to refuse the position. In appears to have been written in 1490, while Barbaro was resident ambassador to Rome. It was the first work to express the idea that an ambassador was a servant of the state. It gives general guidelines for conduct, no specific advice and says ambassadors should be above reproach. De Officio Legati also said that public officials should not accept any office or title from foreign governments.

His work, De Coelibatu was less influential, but Barbaro's Castigationes Plinianae, published in Rome in 1492 by Eucharius Silber, was perhaps his most influential work.