Nomos AG
Auction 25 20 Nov 2022
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ITALY. Papal States. Eugene IV (Gabriele Condulmer), 1431-1447. Seal or Bulla (Lead, 37.5 mm, 43.75 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. + / •EVGEN/IVS •PP /• IIII• in four lines, the whole within a circular, dotted border. Serafini 55-59. Pleasant dark surfaces, with sharply pressed types. A few minor marks, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.
From the Dr. Pelc Dens Sapientiae Collection, USA.
Pope Eugene, who stemmed from an important Venetian family, spent his whole reign maintaining Papal authority over that claimed by church councils, specifically the Council of Basel (1431-1439). He began his rule by moving against the aristocratic Roman Colonna family of his predecessor Martin V, who he believed had usurped all too much power; this led to Eugene's flight from Rome to Bologna in June 1434, but by 1436, thanks to the victories of the Papal armies led by the warrior cardinal Giovanni Vitellischi and by Francesco I Sforza, the Colonna were put down. As for the struggle with the Conciliars, this continued and Eugene convened his own council in Ferrara 1438 (it soon moved to Florence), which excommunicated the Basel council. In turn, in 1439, they excommunicated Eugene and deposed him as a heretic; even going so far as to elect Duke Amadeus VIII of Savoy as their own pope (now known as the antipope Felix V, 1439-1449). In the end, with the help of a number of European princes Eugene emerged triumphant over the Conciliars and returned to Rome in 1443. Eugene also tried to aid the Christians of the East against the Turks - he met with the Byzantine emperor John VIII in Ferrara and Florence, and in 1439 the "union" of the Greek and Roman churches was proclaimed; in addition, on 1 January 1443 Eugene published a Bull establishing a crusade. This crusade, led primarily by Ladislaus III, John Hunyadi and the Papal Legate Cardinal Giuliano Cesarini, culminated, in November 1444, in the disastrous Battle of Varna where the Ottomans almost completely wiped them out.
From the Dr. Pelc Dens Sapientiae Collection, USA.
Pope Eugene, who stemmed from an important Venetian family, spent his whole reign maintaining Papal authority over that claimed by church councils, specifically the Council of Basel (1431-1439). He began his rule by moving against the aristocratic Roman Colonna family of his predecessor Martin V, who he believed had usurped all too much power; this led to Eugene's flight from Rome to Bologna in June 1434, but by 1436, thanks to the victories of the Papal armies led by the warrior cardinal Giovanni Vitellischi and by Francesco I Sforza, the Colonna were put down. As for the struggle with the Conciliars, this continued and Eugene convened his own council in Ferrara 1438 (it soon moved to Florence), which excommunicated the Basel council. In turn, in 1439, they excommunicated Eugene and deposed him as a heretic; even going so far as to elect Duke Amadeus VIII of Savoy as their own pope (now known as the antipope Felix V, 1439-1449). In the end, with the help of a number of European princes Eugene emerged triumphant over the Conciliars and returned to Rome in 1443. Eugene also tried to aid the Christians of the East against the Turks - he met with the Byzantine emperor John VIII in Ferrara and Florence, and in 1439 the "union" of the Greek and Roman churches was proclaimed; in addition, on 1 January 1443 Eugene published a Bull establishing a crusade. This crusade, led primarily by Ladislaus III, John Hunyadi and the Papal Legate Cardinal Giuliano Cesarini, culminated, in November 1444, in the disastrous Battle of Varna where the Ottomans almost completely wiped them out.