Pierino Belli (20 March 1502, in

Alba ''Alba'' ( , ) is the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland. It is also, in English-language historiography, used to refer to the polity of Picts and Scots united in the ninth century as the Kingdom of Alba, until it developed into the Kingd ...

– 31 December 1575, in

Turin Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...

) was an soldier and jurist. Belli served the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...

as the commander of Imperial forces in

Piedmont Piedmont ( ; ; ) is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the northwest Italy, Northwest of the country. It borders the Liguria region to the south, the Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna regions to the east, and the Aosta Valley region to the ...

. In 1560,

Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy Emmanuel Philibert (; ; 8 July 1528 – 30 August 1580), known as (; "Ironhead", because of his military career), was Duke of Savoy and ruler of the Savoyard states from 17 August 1553 until his death in 1580. He is notably remembered for resto ...

, named him a councillor of state. He is most notable for his book, ''De re militari et de bello'' (1563) which was one of the most comprehensive treatments of

military law Military justice (or military law) is the body of laws and procedures governing members of the armed forces. Many nation-states have separate and distinct bodies of law that govern the conduct of members of their armed forces. Some states us ...

and the

rules of war The law of war is a component of international law that regulates the conditions for initiating war (''jus ad bellum'') and the conduct of hostilities (''jus in bello''). Laws of war define sovereignty and nationhood, states and territories, ...

that had been written up to that time.

Biography

Son of the Alba nobles Berentina and Pietro Antonio, Pierino (or Petrino) Belli shared both family sympathies for the

March of Montferrat The March (also ''margraviate'' or ''marquisate'') of Montferrat was a frontier march of the Kingdom of Italy during the Middle Ages and a state of the Holy Roman Empire. The margraviate was raised to become the Duchy of Montferrat in 1574. ...

and the empire and a dislike for the Marquis of Saluzzo and

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. Unlike his brother Bartolomeo, however, it was not in military endeavors that he distinguished himself, but in the more congenial field of law. After his early studies in Alba, in fact, he had attended the

University of Perugia The University of Perugia ( Italian ''Università degli Studi di Perugia'') is a public university in Perugia, Italy. It was founded in 1308, as attested by the Bull issued by Pope Clement V certifying the birth of the Studium Generale. The offi ...

and Pavia, graduating in

Doctor of both laws A doctor of both laws, from the Latin , , or ("doctor of both laws") (abbreviations include: JUD, IUD, DUJ, JUDr., DUI, DJU, Dr.iur.utr., Dr.jur.utr., DIU, UJD and UID), is a scholar who has acquired a doctorate in both civil and church law ...

. In 1533, having given Alba to the people of Saluzzo, he moved with his family to

Asti Asti ( , ; ; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) of 74,348 inhabitants (1–1–2021) located in the Italy, Italian region of Piedmont, about east of Turin, in the plain of the Tanaro, Tanaro River. It is the capital of the province of Asti and ...

, where he continued to practice law, becoming vicar of the praetorship and patron of the municipality. On June 22, 1537 he welcomed Charles V to Alba, retaken from the imperials, but did not return to live there as his brothers did.The same year he was appointed judge of crimes and military disputes in the imperial army. He was also adviser to the duke of Mantua

Philip II of Spain Philip II (21 May 152713 September 1598), sometimes known in Spain as Philip the Prudent (), was King of Spain from 1556, King of Portugal from 1580, and King of Naples and List of Sicilian monarchs, Sicily from 1554 until his death in 1598. He ...

Gonzaga, who had meanwhile become lord of

Montferrat Montferrat ( , ; ; , ; ) is a historical region of Piedmont, in northern Italy. It comprises roughly (and its extent has varied over time) the modern provinces of Province of Alessandria, Alessandria and Province of Asti, Asti. Montferrat ...

, whom he induced to remain loyal to the emperor in the constant wars that broke out between France and Spain. As a reward, in 1552 Philip II appointed him senator of the duchy of Milan. After the peace of

Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis The Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis in April 1559 ended the Italian Wars (1494–1559). It consisted of two separate treaties, one between England and France on 2 April, and another between France and Spain on 3 April. Although he was not a signatory ...

(April 2-3, 1559),

entrusted him with the reorganization of the Savoy duchy from a legislative and judicial point of view, including him (November 1560) among his six state councillors, using him for difficult

Diplomatic mission A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase usually denotes ...

(such as the recovery of the five strongholds of

Chieri Chieri (; ) is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Turin, Piedmont (Italy), located about southeast of Turin, by rail and by road. It borders the following municipalities: Baldissero Torinese, Pavarolo, Montaldo Torinese, Pino ...

Chivasso Chivasso (; ) is a communes of Italy, comune in the Metropolitan City of Turin, in the Italy, Italian region of Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin. Chivasso has a population of about 27,000. It is situated on the :wikt:left bank, left bank ...

Pinerolo Pinerolo (; ; ; ) is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Turin, Piedmont, northwestern Italy, southwest of Turin on the river Chisone. The Lemina torrent has its source at the boundary between Pinerolo and San Pietro Val di Lemi ...

and

Villanova d'Asti Villanova d'Asti is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Asti, Piedmont, northern Italy. It has around 5,000 inhabitants. The economy is based on a mixture of agriculture and industry. Villanova d'Asti was founded in the Middle Ages. The main ...

still in French hands, which lasted from 1562 to 1574) and deferring to his expertise in resolving a variety of legal and border issues.

Bibliography

treccani.it
* http://www.centrostudibeppefenoglio.it/Personaggi/personaggi_scheda.php?ID=8

External links

WorldCat pageCERL page
1502 births 1575 deaths People from the Savoyard state Italian soldiers People from Alba, Piedmont Imperial Army (Holy Roman Empire) personnel 16th-century Italian jurists {{Italy-mil-bio-stub