| The Cretan doctor and scholar Antonios Kalosynas lived in the second half of the 16th century. In the Italian city of Trent, where he was living at the time of the Counter-Reformation Council of Trent, he came into contact with distinguished Spanish bibliophiles and one of the most important scribes of the Escorial, his compatriot Nikolaos Turrianos. At their instigation, he went to Spain and started work as an assistant to the scribe Andreas Darmarios in Madrid. From 1567 to 1598 he was established in Toledo. At least 41 manuscripts he copied to order from originals in Spanish libraries are preserved, as well as some of his original writings and dedicatory letters. Two of the latter are published here, the first addressed to the Archdeacon of Toledo, Garcia de Loyasa, and the second to Philip II of Spain. |