Contarini Gasparo

Gasparo Contarini was an Italian philosopher, ambassador, and cardinal. His wide range of interests covered metaphysics, elementary physics, but also political history and biblical exegesis. He was an important philosophical interlocutor of Pietro Pomponazzi, Girolamo Fracastoro, and Juan Sepulveda. As ambassador of Venice, he traveled to Germany and Spain. Here he soon became close friend with the Emperor Charles V and often engaged him in conversations about their common naturalistic interests. Finally, he was appointed cardinal while he still was a layman. He was personally involved in the reform of the Church, of the administrative offices, and of the role of the bishops. He was also probably the last strong advocate of a reconciliation between Lutherans and Catholics. With this aim he presided over the failed Diet of Regensburg, in 1541.