Botany and Diplomacy: Pietro Andrea Mattioli and his Flemish Correspondents in Constantinople (1557-1568)

The relations between the Flemish humanist and diplomat Augier Ghiselin de Busbecq and several of his fellow countrymen such as Carolus Clusius are well known in connection with the introduction of various plants such as the tulip into the gardens of Europe. Less well known but nonetheless significant is Busbecq’s role as a contributor to Pietro Andrea Mattioli’s botanical investigations during and after his mission to Constantinople. The main purpose of this chapter is to understand how the interplay between Mattioli’s position in the Habsburg court and his participation in various Venetian information networks was strategic to adding to the botanical knowledge of his time.