History of the Florentine People, Volume 2Leonardo Bruni (1370 1444), the leading civic humanist of the Italian Renaissance, served as apostolic secretary to four popes (1405 1414) and chancellor of Florence (1427 1444). He was famous in his day as a translator, orator, and historian, and was the best selling author of the fifteenth century. Bruni's History of the Florentine People in twelve books is generally considered the first modern work of history, and was widely imitated by humanist