Pietro Aretino, Italian author (born 1492)

Pietro Aretino was an Italian author, playwright, poet, satirist and blackmailer, who wielded influence on contemporary art and politics. He was one of the most influential writers of his time and an outspoken critic of the powerful. He gained prominence through his politically charged writings and biting satire, which targeted powerful figures, including monarchs and popes. His works spanned various genres, including poetry, drama, and religious commentary, but he is particularly noted for his lampoons and erotic literature. Owing to his communications and sympathies with religious reformers, he is considered to have been a Nicodemite Protestant.