A Transnational Newspaper Venture. Publishing an Italian Newspaper in Habsburg Vienna (1671-1700)

Abstract

This article examines for the first time Il Corriere Ordinario, an Italian-language newspaper which appeared bi-weekly between 1671 and 1723 in Vienna. This specific newspaper title is remarkable because it was published in the Italian language in a predominantly German-speaking city. The two printers responsible for producing this periodical had recently migrated to Vienna from the Habsburg Low Countries. Despite recent advances in scholarship, acknowledging the importance of international news flows, foreign language newspaper ventures such as Il Corriere Ordinario have hitherto been largely ignored. This article investigates why this newspaper was printed in Vienna and argues that it was intended both for a local and international Italian(ate) audience. As a semi-official news bulletin of the imperial Habsburg government, it publicised foreign political news of its allies and became a useful tool in the fight against French propaganda. Using the case of this remarkable newspaper, I will demonstrate why and how political information moved across state and linguistic borders.