Girolamo Savonarola

Italian Dominican friar and preacher (1452-1498)

Source-basedFalling

Lived 1452–1498, aged 46

Fame37.6
Momentum1.6
Religious Figures rank#55
Wikipedia45K

Wikipedia
73 languages
Cross-language footprint
Era
1452–1498
Aged 46

Summary

Updated 2026-05-29

Florentine friar who whipped up Renaissance crowds with fire-and-brimstone prophecies and calls to torch secular art. His moral crusade against corruption and tyranny made him either Florence's conscience or its scourge, depending on who you asked.

Biography

About

Girolamo Savonarola, OP, also referred to as Jerome Savonarola, was an Italian ascetic Dominican friar from Ferrara and a preacher active in Renaissance Florence. He became known for his prophecies of civic glory, his advocacy of the destruction of secular art and culture, and his calls for Christian renewal. He denounced clerical corruption, despotic rule, and the exploitation of the poor.

Profile