Marco Battaglini

Marco Battaglini (25 March 1645 – 19 September 1717) was an Italian jurist and priest, known as a historian of the church councils.

He was born at Rimini, Italy. He studied law at Cesena, both civil and ecclesiastical, and at the age of sixteen he obtained the degree of Doctor of Civil and Canon Law. After some years of service in the civil administration of the Papal States, he entered the priesthood.

He was appointed Bishop of Nocera in Umbria, 1690, and in 1716 was transferred to the Diocese of Cesena. He died at Cesena.

His principal works are:

• "Il legista filosofo" (Rome, 1680), or the man of law as a philosopher;
• "Istoria universale di tutti i concilii" (Venice, 1686, 1689, 1696, 1714). The first edition contained the history of 475 councils; in subsequent edition 403 more were added. In a supplement was a catalogue of all the ancient and contemporary episcopal sees.
• "Annali del sacerdozio e dell' imperio intorno all' intero secolo decimo settimo" (Venice, 1701–11; Ancona, 1742), or history of the world during the seventeenth century in the form of annals.