The Jesuit

Ernesto Medzabotti (1826-1907) was a 19th-century Italian writer renowned as a master of the historical novel. His work combines attention to the details of the era with a keen interest in the destinies of people caught in the maelstrom of religious and political upheaval.
The novel "The Jesuit" (Il Gesuita), one of Medzabotti's most significant works, is a sweeping historical and artistic canvas dedicated to the rivalry between the Society of Jesus and the Masonic lodges. The book centers on the challenges these two influential organizations set for themselves in European history. The author creates vivid images of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the French King Francis I, Diane de Poitiers, the mistress of Henry II, and other figures whose destinies were intertwined with the drama of faith, power, and personal passions.
"The Jesuit" is not just a historical novel, but a unique lyrical epic about the struggle of ideas and spiritual forces that shaped the face of Europe during the Renaissance and Reformation.