Sicardo
Encyclopedia
Sicardus of Cremona (1155–1215) was an Italian prelate, historian and writer.
Sicardo was born into a Cremonese
family, probably the Casalaschi. He studied law in Bologna
and Mainz
, then returned to Cremona where he became a subdeacon
in 1183 and bishop of Cremona in 1185. (Sichardi episcopi Cremonensis).
On April 18, 1188, Bishop Sicardo laid the first stone of a new castle to defend Cremona. This was an outpost toward Crema
, the Castrum Leonis, today Castelleone
(Province of Cremona
).
In 1203 he followed the Pontifical legate Cardinal Peter of Capua
to the East and during the Fourth Crusade
he was found in Constantinople
. In 1205 Sicardo returned to Cremona where he supported Frederick II
against the Holy Roman Emperor
Otto IV
of Braunschweig
.
Sicardo died in Cremona in 1215.
Sicardo was born into a Cremonese
Cremona
Cremona is a city and comune in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po River in the middle of the Pianura Padana . It is the capital of the province of Cremona and the seat of the local City and Province governments...
family, probably the Casalaschi. He studied law in Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
and Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
, then returned to Cremona where he became a subdeacon
Subdeacon
-Subdeacons in the Orthodox Church:A subdeacon or hypodeacon is the highest of the minor orders of clergy in the Orthodox Church. This order is higher than the reader and lower than the deacon.-Canonical Discipline:...
in 1183 and bishop of Cremona in 1185. (Sichardi episcopi Cremonensis).
On April 18, 1188, Bishop Sicardo laid the first stone of a new castle to defend Cremona. This was an outpost toward Crema
Crema, Italy
Crema is a town and comune in the province of Cremona, in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is built along the river Serio at 43 km from Cremona. It is also the seat of a Catholic Bishop, who gave to Crema the title of city...
, the Castrum Leonis, today Castelleone
Castelleone
Castelleone is a comune in the Province of Cremona in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about 50 km southeast of Milan and about 30 km northwest of Cremona...
(Province of Cremona
Province of Cremona
The Province of Cremona is a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Cremona.The province has an area of 1,771 km² and in 2008 census, had a population of 358,628. There are 115 comuni...
).
In 1203 he followed the Pontifical legate Cardinal Peter of Capua
Peter of Capua
Peter of Capua was an Italian theologian and scholastic philosopher, and a Cardinal and papal legate.Peter was a member of an Amalfitan family. After a being a teacher at the University of Paris, he was employed by Pope Innocent III as legate. He made trips to Poland and Bohemia in 1197,...
to the East and during the Fourth Crusade
Fourth Crusade
The Fourth Crusade was originally intended to conquer Muslim-controlled Jerusalem by means of an invasion through Egypt. Instead, in April 1204, the Crusaders of Western Europe invaded and conquered the Christian city of Constantinople, capital of the Eastern Roman Empire...
he was found in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
. In 1205 Sicardo returned to Cremona where he supported Frederick II
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
against the Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
Otto IV
Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto IV of Brunswick was one of two rival kings of the Holy Roman Empire from 1198 on, sole king from 1208 on, and emperor from 1209 on. The only king of the Welf dynasty, he incurred the wrath of Pope Innocent III and was excommunicated in 1215.-Early life:Otto was the third son of Henry the...
of Braunschweig
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
.
Sicardo died in Cremona in 1215.
Works
- Chronica Universalis (1213) – covers universal historyUniversal historyUniversal history is basic to the Western tradition of historiography, especially the Abrahamic wellspring of that tradition. Simply stated, universal history is the presentation of the history of humankind as a whole, as a coherent unit.-Ancient authors:...
from the creation to 1213 and was used extensively by Salimbene de Adam in his Chronica. - Summa Canonum (Magonza 1179-1181) – a digest of canon lawCanon lawCanon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
. - Apologia Sichardi – a defence against his detractors.
- Mitrale (in 9 books) - a work on ecclesiastical liturgyLiturgyLiturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
. Recently this work was published in a new edition: Sicardi Cremonensis episcopi Mitralis de officiis, ed. Gábor Sarbak and Lorenz Weinrich (Turnhout: Brepols, 2008).