The Calabrian Charlatan, 1598-1603

"The Calabrian Charlatan, 1598-1603" by Eric Olsen is a captivating scholarly work that delves into a remarkable historical event in Venice. In 1598, a man appeared claiming to be King Sebastian of Portugal, who had disappeared in battle twenty years earlier. This assertion sparked intense debates and conflicts among Venetians, Spaniards, and Portuguese regarding the true identity and character of the man. Was he a madman, a fraud, or perhaps a messianic king? Olsen uses this fascinating episode to explore the Portuguese millenarian movement and demonstrate how a group of Portuguese rebels attempted to leverage these beliefs to liberate their country from Spanish rule. The book offers an in-depth analysis of the political and social dynamics of the time and sheds light on the complex relationships between the involved nations.