Siri, Victor

Siri, Victor, an Italian historian, was born in 1608, and was a monk of Parma, where he employed his leisure hours in writing a history of his times. Of the writings of Siri cardinal Mazarin held a very high opinion, and persuaded Louis XIV to invite him to Paris. On his arrival he was preferred to a secular abbey; and, quitting his ecclesiastical functions, lived at court in great intimacy and confidence with the king and his ministers. He was made almoner and historiographer. Siri died in Paris, Oct. 6, 1685. He published a kind of political journal, Memorie Recondite, afterwards collected into volumes, running up to the eighth (4to): — Il Mercurio, ovvero Istoria de' Correnti Tempi (1647-82, 15 vols. 4to). He also published some mathematical works, and replies to his critics (1653, 1671). See Chalmers, Biog. Dict.; Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.