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Eugenius IV- Feb 20 1431 - Feb 23 1447
(ooc- ok, im going to ignore history here. I know many of you know that there were 2 Popes at this time. One was Eugenius, who because of contention with the council was claimed a heretic and fled to another city, but remained a Pope in his own right. Calling for Crusades and all. The other was elected after Eugenius fled, Felix V (the antipope) who reigned in Rome, but was not the legitimate Pope. Lets all just ignore this man…)
Eugenius IV (born Gabriel Condulmer) came from a merchant family in Venice. He was a violent man who had mood swings. Eugenius always struggled against the council in the Papacy. It is said, ‘He was a man dignified in demeanor, but inexperienced a vacillating in action and excitable in temper.’ He had a fierce hatred of heresy but was very kind to the poor.
Coming from a merchant family help Eugenius understand the importance of money, trade, and loans… economics.
[In the Council chambers of the Pope]
“Brothers of the Church,” began Eugenius, “Specifically the Cardinals of England and France. It vexes me to no end happenings which occur on our soil. I hear of a Maid in France, who brought victory to the French armies, crowning Charles VI as King. It confuses me to no end, that our French brothers believe her to be a saviour, and our English brother believe her to be a witch. What is it?”
The Cardinal from England rose quickly, “Holy Father, she has said she talks to voices, which we cannot determine are from heaven, they may be voices from Satan,” quickly continuing before the French Cardinals could speak, “Either way, if she is found innocent, we shall release her and she can continue with her God-sent work, if she is guilty, she will burn. If we of the Church of wrong in our handling of this, God will bring her to Him any way, so she has nothing to fear.”
The Holy Father sat considering his words, “We’ve no time for this now, do what you will, back to matter of the state.”
[Thus ended a small chapter in Papal history regarding Joan of Arc, but not for good.]
During Eugenius IV entire reign, because he was Venetian himself, the ties between Venice and the Papal state grew close. Gifts were sent from the Pope to the Venetian merchant to help in trade exploits.
In April of 1431, the Papacy believe Byzantium was on the brink of destruction, so he guaranteed their independence and constantly asked that they be allowed to have a military presence in the city. This was constantly denied, for the Byzantine people, never forgot the injustice the Catholic world caused them when they sacked Constantinople in the Forth Crusade.
In May of the same year, the Nobles of the Italians states under Papal authority demand they recover the rights they formerly had under weaker Popes, this was denied.
November of 1432 brought annexation to Siena by Modena. This was followed by the Pope sending a Cardinal of his choosing to Venice, to help their spiritual growth.
The state of affairs turned for the worse, when the Papacy tried introducing new taxes and laws, the people considered these poor governmental policies, and all across the Papal States people were discontented, as well as trade and the nation infrastructure suffered.
____________________________________________________
“This has been a most horrible year Excellency,” stated the Venetian Cardinal, and the Pope’s good friend.
And it had been, for the Ottomans had declared war versus Byzantium in April of 1436, and by April 19 1437, Constantinople had fallen, and the Byzantine Empire faded from history.
“Now, Most Holy Father, we have received most horrible words from our Cardinal who is in hiding there. It states the a vile un-Godly men of the Ottoman Empire have finally raped beloved Constantinople, for their have sacrilegiously changed the name of Constantinople to Istanbul. Not only this, but they have made it the capital of their un-holy Empire…”
Voices broke out in rage, in the gathered council of the Papacy. Some began calling for an immediate invasion of the infidels, some cautioned against fighting a strong nation, others began blaming, pointing fingers at other Cardinal of the nations that the Pope had unsuccessfully been trying to create a Crusade.
The Pope raised his hand, and the hall hushed quickly, “Continue Cardinal Giordanna,”
“Most Holy Father, the end of this horrible news is not near. For soon after claiming a new capital, the devil closed down the Patriarch, and placed all Orthodox clergy in exile, or prison. I hold no great love for our misguided cousin, but they are Christians, and these acts are intolerable. On top of this vile act, the un-holy leader of these misguided pagans, have defied the will of Venice and Genoa, and through economic reforms create a trade capital in their new capital!”
Many of the Venetian and Genoa clergy began muttering among themselves, calling the Ottomans thieves. The Pope put this into his backround thoughts, for he had already decided that action must be taken.
When he stood up, quiet decended once again. “Is it the will of the Church, that we teach these barbarians a lesson?”
Cheers rang out in the hall, “Then send word to Naples, telling them of our intention of joining their alliance, with Albania and Modena. After this is done, I myself will visit with their Kings and talk of war.”
By Oct 10 1437, the Holy Father had convinced Naples and Modena to join a Crusade against the Ottomans and a declaration of war was issued.
December 10 of the same year, the Pope in a resplendent ceremony crowned Albert V of Austria, the Holy Roman Emperor. By January of 1439, he was dead, and the Pope found himself crowning another Austrian, Ladislas Postmus Emperor.
The Crusade was set in motion and in April of ’39 the Army of the Holy Cross had invaded Morea.
Meanwhile, the Pope had been visiting the Venetian, Ragusa, Milan, and Genoa alliance, finally convincing Venice, Ragusa and Genoa to call a Crusade against the Ottomans, war was declared and the 5th Crusade was in full swing.
In May of ’39 Siena revolted against Modena, of which the latter declared war, which the Papacy followed, but Naples reneged on the alliance, thus began the instigation of the cessation of the Crusade. By February of 1440, Siena had been conquered and made a vassal by Modena.
In March of the same year, the nobles had the audacity of demanding control of Church lands, in the ‘Cessation of Church functions to Nobility.’ The Pope quickly denied them, stating they should be happy now, serving God and his Church.
The same month brought victory to the Army of the Holy Cross when Morea was conquered. Two years latter a great sea battle, involving 6 warships, 5 galleys, and some transports defeated the Ottoman fleet of 10 galleys and 5 transports in the Aegean Sea, opening up a prepared invasion of Smyrna. The invasion began in May of 1442, in which their Crusader army conquered it int January of 1443. By Febuary, Venice, Genoa, Naples, and Modena quit the Crusade, stating a lack of funds and support. The Pope was distraught, and had to concede that they couldn’t continue the Crusade without all these nations support. So in May of 1443 the 5th Crusade came to a conclusion when the Papacy accepted Morea from the Ottomans for peace. The only consolation the Pope and the clergy had with the war, was that now they had a closer piece of land to launch more invasions in time.
Between 1443 and 1445, the Papacy tried to improve the relations with their neighbors, Modena and Seina. And in the year 1447, the Pope sent Cardinals of his choosing to England, Aragon, and Austria. In February of 1447, Eugenius had died.
His reign finally brought a Crusade against the Muslims, although the fall of Byzantium was a fatal and crushing blow to Christianity, that the world hadn’t seen since the fall of Rome to the Germanic barbarians.
The Holy Father had passed,
SIC TRANSIT GLORIA MUNDI
