Pius II
Birth name	Enea Silvio Piccolomini
Papacy began	August 19, 1458
Papacy ended	August 14, 1464
Predecessor	Callixtus III
Successor	Paul II
Born	October 18, 1405(1405-10-18) Corsignano, Italy
Died	August 14, 1464 (aged 58) Ancona, Italy
Other popes named Pius

Pius II, born Enea Silvio Piccolomini (Latin Aeneas Sylvius; October 18, 1405 – August 14, 1464) was Pope from August 19, 1458 until his death in 1464. Events 43 BC - Octavian, later known as Augustus compels the Roman Senate to elect him Consul. Events 1183 - Taira no Munemori and the Taira clan take the young Emperor Antoku and the three sacred treasures Pope Calixtus III ( December 31, 1378 &ndash August 6, 1458) né Alfonso de Borja, was Pope from April Pope Paul II ( February 23, 1417 &ndash July 26, 1471) born Pietro Barbo, was Pope from 1464 until his death in 1471 Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid Pienza, a town and commune in the Province of Siena, in the Val d'Orcia in Tuscany (central Italy between the towns of Montepulciano and Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Events 1183 - Taira no Munemori and the Taira clan take the young Emperor Antoku and the three sacred treasures Ancona (Ankon is a city and a seaport in the Marche, a region of central Italy, population 101909 (2005 Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid Events 1183 - Taira no Munemori and the Taira clan take the young Emperor Antoku and the three sacred treasures History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and Events 43 BC - Octavian, later known as Augustus compels the Roman Senate to elect him Consul. Pius II, "whose character reflects almost every tendency of the age in which he lived", was born at Corsignano in the Sienese territory of a noble but decayed family. Pienza, a town and commune in the Province of Siena, in the Val d'Orcia in Tuscany (central Italy between the towns of Montepulciano and Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Siena. His longest and most enduring work is the story of his life, Commentaries, which is the only autobiography ever written by a reigning Pope.

Early life

After studying at the universities of Siena and Florence, he settled in the former city as a teacher, but in 1431 accepted the post of secretary to Domenico Capranica, bishop of Fermo, then on his way to the Council of Basel (1431–39) to protest against the injustice of the new Pope Eugene IV (1431–1447), in refusing him the cardinalate for which he had been designated by Pope Martin V (1417–1431). The University of Siena ( Italian: Università degli Studi di Siena, abbreviation UNISI in Siena, Tuscany is one of the oldest and first The University of Florence ( Università degli Studi di Firenze, UNIFI is one of the largest and oldest universities in Italy. Domenico Capranica (1400 &ndash 14 July[[ 458]] was an Italian theologian Canonist, statesman and Cardinal. The Council of Florence (originally Council of Basel) was an Ecumenical Council of Bishops and other ecclesiastics of the Roman Catholic Church Pope Eugene IV (1383 &ndash February 23, 1447) born Gabriele Condulmer, was Pope from March 3, 1431, to his death A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official usually a bishop, of the Catholic Church. Pope Martin V (c 1368 &ndash February 20, 1431) born Odo (or Arriving at Basel after numerous adventures, he successively served Capranica, who ran short on money, and then other masters. "Basilia" redirects here For the Fly Genus, see Basilia (fly.

In 1435 he was sent by Cardinal Albergati, Eugenius IV's legate at the council, on a secret mission to Scotland, the object of which is variously related even by himself. Niccolò Albergati (1373 - May 9 1443) was an Italian Cardinal and diplomat Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. He visited England as well as Scotland, underwent many perils and vicissitudes in both countries, and has left a valuable account of each. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The journey to Scotland proved so tempestuous that Piccolomini swore that he would walk barefoot to the nearest shrine of Our Lady from their landing port. This proved to be Dunbar, and the nearest shrine 10 miles distant at Whitekirk. Dunbar is a town in East Lothian on the southeast coast of Scotland, approximately 30 miles east of Edinburgh and 28 miles from the English Border Tyninghame and Whitekirk is a Civil parish, centred on two small settlements in East Lothian, Scotland. The journey through the ice and snow left Aeneas afflicted with pain in his legs for the rest of his life.

Upon his return to Basel, Aeneas sided actively with the council in its conflict with the Pope, and, although still a layman, obtained a leading share in the direction of its affairs. He supported the creation of the antipope Felix V (1439–1449), Amadeus, Duke of Savoy. Amadeus VIII ( September 4, 1383 &ndash January 7, 1451) was the son of Amadeus VII Count of Savoy and Bonne of Berry. Amadeus VIII ( September 4, 1383 &ndash January 7, 1451) was the son of Amadeus VII Count of Savoy and Bonne of Berry. Aeneas then withdrew to the Emperor Frederick III's (1440–1493) court at Vienna. Frederick III of Habsburg ( September 21 1415 &ndash August 19, 1493) was elected as German King as the successor of Vienna ( in Wien; see also other names) is the Capital of Austria, and is also one of the nine States of Austria. He was crowned imperial poet laureate, and obtained the patronage of the Emperor's chancellor, Kaspar Schlick. A Poet Laureate is a Poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for State occasions and other government events Some identify the love adventure at Siena Aeneas related in his romance, The Tale of the Two Lovers with an escapade of the Chancellor. The Tale of Two Lovers (Historia de duobus amantibus written in 1444 was one of the bestselling books of the fifteenth century even before its author Aeneas

Aeneas' character had hitherto been that of an easy man of the world, with no pretence to strictness in morals or consistency in politics. He now began to be more regular in the former respect, and in the latter adopted a decided line by making his peace with Rome. Being sent on a mission to Rome in 1445, with the ostensible object of inducing Eugenius to convoke a new council, he was absolved from ecclesiastical censures, and returned to Germany under an engagement to assist the Pope. Not to be confused with Censor, Censer or Sensor. Censure (ˈsɛnʃəɹ is a process by which a formal Reprimand Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. This he did most effectually by the diplomatic dexterity with which he smoothed away differences between the papal court of Rome and the German imperial electors; and he had a leading part in the compromise by which, in 1447, the dying Eugenius IV accepted the reconciliation tendered by the German princes, and the council and the antipope were left without support. He had already taken orders, and one of the first acts of Eugenius IV's successor Pope Nicholas V (1447–1455) was to make him bishop of Trieste. See also Antipope Nicholas V. Pope Nicholas V (Italian Niccolò V; November 15, 1397 &ndash March He later served as bishop of Siena. The Archdiocese of Siena - Colle di Val d'Elsa - Montalcino is a Roman Catholic archdiocese in Tuscany.

In 1450 Aeneas was sent as ambassador by the Emperor Frederick III to negotiate his marriage with the princess Eleonore of Portugal, which object he successfully achieved; in 1451 he undertook a mission to Bohemia, and concluded a satisfactory arrangement with the Hussite leader George of Podebrady; in 1452 he accompanied Frederick III to Rome, where the Emperor wedded Leonora and was crowned King of the Romans. Bohemia (Čechy; Bohemia Czechy is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the The Hussites were a Christian movement following the teachings of Czech reformer Jan Hus or John Huss (c George of Kunštát and Poděbrady ( April 23, 1420 - March 22, 1471) also known as Poděbrad or Podiebrad In August 1455 Aeneas again arrived in Rome on an embassy to proffer the obedience of Germany to the new Pope Calixtus III (1455–1458). Pope Calixtus III ( December 31, 1378 &ndash August 6, 1458) né Alfonso de Borja, was Pope from April He brought strong recommendations from the Emperor and King Ladislaus of Hungary for his nomination to the cardinalate, but delays arose from the Pope's resolution to promote his own nephews first, and he did not attain the object of his ambition until December in the following year. Ladislaus the Posthumous ( February 22, 1440 &ndash November 23, 1457) ruled Bohemia as Ladislav I Hungary as László He achieved temporarily the bishopric of Warmia (Ermeland). Warmia (Warmia Latin: Varmia) or Erm(eland ( is a region between Pomerania and Masuria in northeastern Poland

Election to Papacy

Calixtus III died on August 6, 1458. Events 1538 - Bogotá, Colombia, is founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. On August 10, the cardinals entered into conclave. Events 612 BC - Killing of Sinsharishkun, King of Assyrian Empire According to Aeneas' account, the wealthy cardinal Guillaume d'Estouteville of Rouen, though a Frenchman and of exceptionable character, seemed certain to be elected. Guillaume d'Estouteville (1403 &ndash 1483 was a French ecclesiastic He was Bishop of Angers, then Bishop of Digne, Archbishop of Rouen Rouen (ʁwɑ̃ in French) is the historical capital city of Normandy, in northwestern France on the River Seine, and currently the capital Aeneas has told us in a passage of his own history of his times, long retrenched from that work but printed clandestinely in the Conclavi de' Pontifici Romani, by what art, energy and eloquence he frustrated this false step. It seemed appropriate to Aeneas that the election should fall upon himself: although the sacred college included a few men of higher moral standard, he believed his abilities made him most worthy of the tiara. The Papal Tiara, also known as the Triple Tiara, or in Latin as the ' Triregnum', and in Italian as the ' Triregno', is the three-tiered It was the peculiar faculty of Aeneas to accommodate himself perfectly to whatever position he might be called upon to occupy; it was his peculiar good fortune that every step in life had placed him in circumstances appealing more and more to the better part of his nature, an appeal to which he had never failed to respond. The party pamphleteer had been more respectable than the private secretary, the diplomatist than the pamphleteer, the cardinal than the diplomatist; now the unscrupulous adventurer and licentious novelist of a few short years ago seated himself quite naturally in the chair of St. Peter, and from the resources of his versatile character produced without apparent effort all the virtues and endowments becoming his exalted station. After allying himself with Ferdinand, the Aragonese claimant to the throne of Naples, his next important act was to convene a congress of the representatives of Christian princes at Mantua for joint action against the Turks. Ferdinand II of Aragon the Catholic (Fernando II de Aragón y V de Castilla "el Católico" Ferran II d'Aragó "el Catòlic" Ferrando II d'Aragón Aragon ( Spanish: "Aragón") is an autonomous community of Spain. Mantua (Màntova in the local dialect of Lombard language Mantua is a city in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the The Ottoman Turks were the subdivision of the Ottoman Muslim Millet that dominated the ruling class of the Ottoman Empire. On September 26, 1459, he called for a new crusade against the Ottomans and on January 14, 1460, he proclaimed the official crusade that was to last for three years. His long progress to the place of assembly resembled a triumphal procession; and the Council of Mantua, a complete failure as regarded its ostensible object, at least showed that the impotence of Christendom was not owing to the Pope. The Council of Mantua of 1459 was convoked by Pope Pius II, who had been elected to the Papacy in the previous year and was engaged in planning war against the Turks who had Christendom usually refers to Christianity as a territorial phenomenon The Pope did, however, influence Vlad III Dracula—whom the Pope held in high regard—in starting a war against Mehmed II^[1]—a conflict which at its peak involved the Wallachians trying to assassinate the Sultan (see the Night Attack). Vlachs is a blanket term covering several modern Latin peoples descending from the Latinised population in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe The Night Attack (Atacul de noapte was a skirmish fought between forces of Vlad III the Impaler (Ţepeş of Wallachia and Mehmed II of the Ottoman

On his return from the congress, Pius II spent a considerable time in his native district of Siena, where he was joined by his erstwhile host in Mantua Ludovico Gonzaga; Pius has described his delight and the charm of a country life in very pleasing language. Ludovico II (or III of Gonzaga, also spelled Lodovico ( June 5, 1412 &ndash June 12, 1478) was the ruler of the Italian He was recalled to Rome by the disturbances occasioned by Tiburzio di Maso, who was ultimately seized and executed. Tiburzio di Maso (executed 31 October 1460) was a leader of an anarchic faction in Rome that briefly attempted to restore the medieval commune of the city In the struggle for the Kingdom of Naples between the supporters of the House of Aragon and the House of Anjou, the Papal States were at this time troubled by rebellious barons and marauding condottieri, whom he gradually, though momentarily, abated. The Kingdom of Naples was an informal name of the Polity officially known as the Kingdom of Sicily which existed on the mainland of the southern Italian The ( Royal) House of Aragon was a Royal house that could refer to several different dynasties that ruled first the County later the Kingdom and Angevin (ˈændʒəvɪn ( French, from Old French, from Medieval Latin Andegavinus from Andegavia Anjou, France) is the name applied The Papal States, State(s of the Church or Pontifical States (in Italian Stato Ecclesiastico, Stato della Chiesa, Stati della Chiesa Condottieri (singular condottiero, rarely condottiero) were Mercenary leaders employed by the Italian City-states from the Late Middle The Neapolitan War was also terminated by the success of the Pope's ally the Aragonese Ferdinand. The Neapolitan War between the Napoleonic Kingdom of Naples and the Austrian Empire, started on 15 March 1815 when Joachim Murat In particular, the pope engaged for most of his reign in what looked a personal war against Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, lord of Rimini, with the result of the almost complete submission of that condottiero. Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta ( June 19, 1417 &ndash October 7, 1468) popularly known as the Wolf of Rimini, was a famous member Pius II tried also mediations in the Thirteen Years' War between Poland and the Teutonic Knights, but, when he failed to achieve success, cast an anathema over Polish and Prussians both. The Thirteen Years' War was also the name of an Austrian-Ottoman War Thirteen Years War in Hungary The Thirteen Years' War (Dreizehnjähriger Krieg Wojna trzynastoletnia Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland The Teutonic Order is a German Roman Catholic religious order. Anathema (in Greek Ανάθεμα meaning originally something lifted up as an offering to the gods later with evolving meanings it came to mean to be formally Pius II was also engaged in a series of disputes with the Bohemian King George of Podebrady and the Sigismund of Austria (who was excommunicated for having arrested Nicholas of Cusa, bishop of Brixen). George of Kunštát and Poděbrady ( April 23, 1420 - March 22, 1471) also known as Poděbrad or Podiebrad Sigismund of Austria, Duke, then Archduke of Further Austria ( October 26, 1427 &ndash March 4, 1496) was a The Bishopric of Brixen (modern Brixen (Bressanone) in what is now the province of Bolzano-Bozen) is a former Roman Catholic Diocese and also

Coat of arms of Pius II.

In July 1461, Pius II canonized Saint Catherine of Siena, and in October of the same year he gained at first what appeared to be a most brilliant success by inducing the new King of France, Louis XI (1461–1483), to abolish the Pragmatic Sanction of Bourges, by which the Pope's authority in France had been grievously impaired. Saint Catherine of Siena, OP ( March 25 1347 – April 29 1380) was a Tertiary of the Dominican Order, Louis XI ( July 3, 1423 – August 30, 1483) called the Prudent (le Prudent and the Universal Spider ( Middle The Pragmatic Sanction of Bourges, issued by King Charles VII of France, on July 7, 1438, required a General Church Council with authority superior But Louis XI had expected that Pius II would in return espouse the French cause in Naples, and when he found himself disappointed he virtually re-established the Pragmatic Sanction by royal ordinances. Naples ( Napoli, Neapolitan: Nàpule) is a historic City in southern Italy, the Capital of the

The crusade for which the Congress of Mantua had been convoked made no progress. The Pope did his best: he addressed an eloquent letter to the sultan urging him to become a Christian, a letter that probably never was sent. Sultan (سلطان is an Islamic title with several historical meanings Not surprisingly, if it was delivered, this invitation was not successful. A public ceremony was staged to receive the relics of the head of Saint Andrew when it was brought from the East to Rome. Pius II succeeded in reconciling the Emperor and the King of Hungary, and derived great encouragement as well as pecuniary advantage from the discovery of mines of alum in the papal territory. For the purely-slang term alum meaning "graduate" see Alumnus. But France was estranged; the Duke of Burgundy broke his positive promises; Milan was engrossed with the attempt to seize Genoa; Florence cynically advised the Pope to let the Turks and the Venetians wear each other out. Duke of Burgundy was a title borne by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, a small portion of traditional lands of Burgundians west of river Saône which Milan (Milano Milan (listen) is one of the largest cities in Italy, located in the plains of Lombardy. Genoa ( Genova, ˈdʒɛːnova in Italian; Zena in Genoese and Ligurian; Genua in Latin and archaically in English Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the Pius II was unaware he was nearing his end, and his malady probably prompted the feverish impatience with which on June 18, 1464, he assumed the cross and departed for Ancona to conduct the crusade in person. Events 618 - Coronation of the Chinese governor Li Yuan as Emperor Gaozu of Tang, the new Emperor of China, initiating three centuries Ancona (Ankon is a city and a seaport in the Marche, a region of central Italy, population 101909 (2005 It seemed certain that the issue of such an enterprise could only be ridiculous or disastrous. Pius II's good genius again stepped in, and rendered it pathetic.

Illness and death

He was suffering from fever when he left Rome. The crusading army melted away at Ancona for want of transport, and when at last the Venetian fleet arrived, the dying Pope could only view it from a window. He expired two days afterwards, August 14, 1464, in his death as in his life a figure picturesque and significant far beyond the wont of Roman pontiffs. Events 1183 - Taira no Munemori and the Taira clan take the young Emperor Antoku and the three sacred treasures He was succeeded by Pope Paul II (1464–71). Pope Paul II ( February 23, 1417 &ndash July 26, 1471) born Pietro Barbo, was Pope from 1464 until his death in 1471 Pius II's body was buried in Sant'Andrea della Valle, while an empty cenotaph was built in St. Peter's Basilica. Sant'Andrea della Valle is a Basilica church in Rome, in the Rione of Sant'Eustachio. The Basilica of Saint Peter (Basilica Sancti Petri officially known in Italian as the Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano and commonly known as St Later, the cenotaph was moved in Sant'Andrea. The bodies of Pope Pius II and his nephew, Pope Pius III (1503), were discovered in Sant'Andrea during the works to rebuild the floor, but buried soon later in an unknown place.

One of the many frescoes of Pius II located in the 'Piccolomini library' in the Duomo in Siena.

Reputation

Pius II had sincere, loving nature, frank and naïve even in his aberrations and defects. The leading trait of Pius II's character was his extreme impressionableness. Chameleon-like, he took colour from surrounding circumstances, and could always depend on being what these circumstances required him to be. As, therefore, his prospects widened and his responsibilities deepened, his character widened and deepened too; and he who had entered upon life a shifty character quit it a model chief shepherd. While he vied with any man in industry, prudence, wisdom, and courage, he excelled most men in simplicity of tastes, constancy of attachments, kindly playfulness, magnanimity, and mercy. Prudence (latprudentia is classically considered to be a Virtue, and indeed one of the Cardinal Virtues. Magnanimity (derived from the Latin roots magn- great and anima, soul is the virtue of being great of mind and heart As chief of the church he was able and sagacious, and showed that he comprehended the conditions on which its monopoly of spiritual power could for a season be maintained; his views were far-seeing and liberal; and he was but slightly swayed by personal ends.

Pius II was a versatile and voluminous author, one of the best and most industrious of his period. His most important and longest work is his autobiography Commentaries in 13 books, first published in 1584 by Cardinal Francesco Bandini Piccolomini, a distant relative. Piccolomini altered it to some extent, removing words, phrases and whole passages that were unflattering to his relative. Piccolomini published it under the name of scribe Gobellinus, who was then misattributed as the author, a natural mistake because Pius II chose to write Commentaries from the third-person perspective. Pius II was also the author of numerous erotic poems and an obscene comedy titled Chrysis (such ethics were not unusual for his period).

His Epistles, which were collected by himself, are also an important source of historical information. The most valuable of his minor historical writings are his histories of Bohemia and of the Emperor Frederick III, the latter partly autobiographical. He sketched biographical treatises on Europe and Asia, and in early and middle life produced numerous tracts on the political and theological controversies of his day, as well as on ethical subjects. Ethics is a major branch of Philosophy, encompassing right conduct and good life Pius II was greatly admired as a poet by his contemporaries, but his reputation in belles lettres rests principally upon his The Tale of the Two Lovers, which continues to be read to this day, partly from its truth to nature, and partly from the singularity of an erotic novel being written by a Pope. See also Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres. Belles-lettres or belles lettres is a term that is used to describe a category The Tale of Two Lovers (Historia de duobus amantibus written in 1444 was one of the bestselling books of the fifteenth century even before its author Aeneas He also composed some comedies, one of which alone is extant. Comedy (from the Greek κωμωδίαkomodia has a popular meaning (any discourse generally intended to amuse especially in Television, Film, and All these works are in Latin. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Pius was not an eminent scholar: his Latin is frequently incorrect, and he knew little Greek; but his writings have high literary qualities. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly

Pope Pius II inaugurated an unusual urban project, perhaps the first city planning exercise in modern Europe. He refurbished his home town which is now by his name called Pienza (province of Siena, Tuscany). Pienza, a town and commune in the Province of Siena, in the Val d'Orcia in Tuscany (central Italy between the towns of Montepulciano and The Province of Siena (Provincia di Siena is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Tuscany (Toscana is a region in Italy. It has an area of 22990 km² and a population of about 3 A cathedral and palaces were built in the best style of the day to decorate the city. They survive to this day.

Footnotes

References

• Text from the 9th edition (1885) of the Encyclopædia Britannica. The Encyclopædia Britannica is a general English-language encyclopaedia published by Encyclopædia Britannica Inc Original article author was Richard Garnett, LLD.
• Meserve, Margaret; Marcello Simonetta (2003). Pius II: Commentaries. The I Tatti Renaissance Library. The I Tatti Renaissance Library is a book series published by the Harvard University Press, which aims to present important works ISBN 0-674-01164-3.  .
• Creighton, Mandell (1934). History of the Papacy. Vols I and II. Moscow: SWB Publications.  
• Izbicki, Thomas; Gerald Christianson and Philip Krey (2006). Reject Aeneas, Accept Pius: Selected Letters of Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomini, Pope Pius II. Catholic University of America Press. The Catholic University of America Press is a University press that is part of the Catholic University of America. ISBN 0813214424.  .

See also

• Pope Pius III, nephew of Pius II
• Bishops of Warmia
• Pienza

External links

• Tomb of Pius II