Baldassare Castiglione The qualities that defined the proper Renaissance gentleman and gentlewoman were thoroughly described in the widely popular Il Cortegiano (The Courtier) by Italian Baldassare Castiglione (1478–1529). Castiglione, who served as both a diplomat and a military leader, was himself a courtier, meaning one who regularly attends the royal court. Although written between 1513 and 1518, The Courtier wasn't published until 1528. Written in the dialogue form, the book serves as a manual for acceptable thinking and behavior for the courtier and the noble lady. For Castiglione, the courtier embodied the following qualities: be born an aristocrat, excel as a soldier, scholar, poet, athlete, and musician, and speak the elegant courtly language rather than the course dialect of the common people. In the book, Castiglione claims to report a lively discussion among a group of well-respected and witty nobles including Emilia Pia (d. 1528), Pietro Bembo (1470–1547), Count Ludovico da...