Onofrio de Santa Croce
Encyclopedia
Onofrio de Santa Croce was a cardinal
and bishop of Tricarico within the Kingdom of Naples
. He was born at Rome, and died there. In 1467, he was sent as papal legate
by Pope Paul II
to mediate between the Duchy of Burgundy
and the province of Liège in an escalating conflict over the desire of the latter for sovereignty
. Onofrio had enjoyed previous successes as a diplomat, and was armed with firsthand knowledge of the situation acquired when he accompanied the legate Paul Ferri
to Liége in 1463.
Despite "tireless efforts," Onofrio failed, and in October 1468 Charles the Bold of Burgundy
and Louis XI of France
began a siege that would end in the destruction of the city of Liège
. Onofrio's memoir
is considered "one of the most important 'outside' sources" on the war and events leading up to it. In another attempt to explain the circumstances and consequences of the war, he commissioned the Italian humanist
poet Angelo Sabino
to compose an historical epic
, De excidio civitatis Leodiensis ("The Fall of the City of Liège"). Onofrius died without having regained his good standing at the papal court
.
The name Onofrio (Latin
Onofrius) will also be found as Onufrio (Onufrius).
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
and bishop of Tricarico within the Kingdom of Naples
Kingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...
. He was born at Rome, and died there. In 1467, he was sent as papal legate
Papal legate
A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
by Pope Paul II
Pope Paul II
Pope Paul II , born Pietro Barbo, was pope from 1464 until his death in 1471.- Early life :He was born in Venice, and was a nephew of Pope Eugene IV , through his mother. His adoption of the spiritual career, after having been trained as a merchant, was prompted by his uncle's election as pope...
to mediate between the Duchy of Burgundy
Duchy of Burgundy
The Duchy of Burgundy , was heir to an ancient and prestigious reputation and a large division of the lands of the Second Kingdom of Burgundy and in its own right was one of the geographically larger ducal territories in the emergence of Early Modern Europe from Medieval Europe.Even in that...
and the province of Liège in an escalating conflict over the desire of the latter for sovereignty
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
. Onofrio had enjoyed previous successes as a diplomat, and was armed with firsthand knowledge of the situation acquired when he accompanied the legate Paul Ferri
Paul Ferri
Paul J. Ferri is the Founder and General Partner of Matrix Partners, a venture capital firm.-Early life:Ferri was born in Rome, Italy. In 1944, he and his family immigrated to the United States where they settled in Virginia. His father worked for the government as an aeronatics engineer. ...
to Liége in 1463.
Despite "tireless efforts," Onofrio failed, and in October 1468 Charles the Bold of Burgundy
Duke of Burgundy
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 in 843 was allotted to Charles the Bald's kingdom of West Franks...
and Louis XI of France
Louis XI of France
Louis XI , called the Prudent , was the King of France from 1461 to 1483. He was the son of Charles VII of France and Mary of Anjou, a member of the House of Valois....
began a siege that would end in the destruction of the city of Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
. Onofrio's memoir
Memoir
A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...
is considered "one of the most important 'outside' sources" on the war and events leading up to it. In another attempt to explain the circumstances and consequences of the war, he commissioned the Italian humanist
Renaissance humanism
Renaissance humanism was an activity of cultural and educational reform engaged by scholars, writers, and civic leaders who are today known as Renaissance humanists. It developed during the fourteenth and the beginning of the fifteenth centuries, and was a response to the challenge of Mediæval...
poet Angelo Sabino
Angelo Sabino
Angelo Sabino or in Latin Angelus Sabinus was an Italian Renaissance humanist, poet laureate, classical philologist, Ovidian impersonator, and putative rogue....
to compose an historical epic
Epic poetry
An epic is a lengthy narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation. Oral poetry may qualify as an epic, and Albert Lord and Milman Parry have argued that classical epics were fundamentally an oral poetic form...
, De excidio civitatis Leodiensis ("The Fall of the City of Liège"). Onofrius died without having regained his good standing at the papal court
Papal court
The Papal Household or Pontifical Household , called until 1968 the Papal Court , consists of dignitaries who assist the Pope in carrying out particular ceremonies of either a religious or a civil character....
.
The name Onofrio (Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
Onofrius) will also be found as Onufrio (Onufrius).
Further reading
- Richard J. Walsh, Charles the Bold and Italy (1467–1477): Politics and Personnel (Liverpool University Press, 2005), pp. 73–75 online.
External links
- Bormans, M. Stanislas. Mémoire du legat Onufrius. Brussels, 1885. Full text online.