Nomos AG
Auction 25 20 Nov 2022
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ITALY. Papal States. Gregory X (Teobaldo Visconti), 1271-1276. Seal or Bulla (Lead, 35 mm, 40.67 g, 12 h), Rome. S PA S PE Nimbate facing heads of St. Paul, bald and with a long, linear beard, on the left and St. Peter, with curly hair and beard composed of pellets, on the right; between them, Latin cross on a long staff and base; all within a circular, dotted border . Rev. GRE/GORIVS/ •PP• X• in three lines, the whole within a circular dotted border. Serafini 1-2. Nicely centered and with fine grey surfaces. Some scratches and flan faults, otherwise, very fine.
From the Dr. Pelc Dens Sapientiae Collection, USA.
Teobaldo Visconti was born in Piacenza, c. 1210 and, after quite an active life, became Pope Gregory X following the death of Clement IV in 1268. But not immediately. He was, in fact, elected Pope in Viterbo on 1 September 1271, but was only consecrated in St. Peter's in Rome on 27 March 1272! This occurred because the French and Italian cardinals were so divided that they refused to come to any agreement: the people of Viterbo got so angry about this that, in 1269, they removed the roof from the Episcopal Palace, where the cardinals were meeting (they were also locked in and, supposedly, only given bread and water!); this blockade was only lifted when the cardinals threatened to put the city under interdict! Finally, Visconti, who was then the Archdeacon of Liege and was accompanying the future King Edward I of England at Acre during the Ninth Crusade. Among the many events of Gregory X's reign was the arrival of the brothers Niccolò and Maffeo Polo with a letter from Kublai Khan asking for 100 missionaries and some holy oil. As it happened the Polos, including the young Marco Polo, returned to the Great Khan with only two friars (who both soon turned back) and some oil, which they delivered in 1275.
From the Dr. Pelc Dens Sapientiae Collection, USA.
Teobaldo Visconti was born in Piacenza, c. 1210 and, after quite an active life, became Pope Gregory X following the death of Clement IV in 1268. But not immediately. He was, in fact, elected Pope in Viterbo on 1 September 1271, but was only consecrated in St. Peter's in Rome on 27 March 1272! This occurred because the French and Italian cardinals were so divided that they refused to come to any agreement: the people of Viterbo got so angry about this that, in 1269, they removed the roof from the Episcopal Palace, where the cardinals were meeting (they were also locked in and, supposedly, only given bread and water!); this blockade was only lifted when the cardinals threatened to put the city under interdict! Finally, Visconti, who was then the Archdeacon of Liege and was accompanying the future King Edward I of England at Acre during the Ninth Crusade. Among the many events of Gregory X's reign was the arrival of the brothers Niccolò and Maffeo Polo with a letter from Kublai Khan asking for 100 missionaries and some holy oil. As it happened the Polos, including the young Marco Polo, returned to the Great Khan with only two friars (who both soon turned back) and some oil, which they delivered in 1275.