Oration “Si ea quae justa” of Enea Silvio Piccolomini (1438, Basel). Edited and translated by Michael von Cotta-Schönberg. Final Version (2025). (Collected Orations of Pope Pius II; 4)

Michael Cotta-Schønberg (1)

1 UCPH - Københavns Universitet = University of Copenhagen = Université de Copenhague

In 1438, the Council of Basel undertook to confer ecclesiastical offices and benefices instead of the pope, whom it had deposed. It therefore became necessary to establish proper procedures, especially for the appointment of bishops. The Council’s Committee of Twelve, of which Enea Silvio Piccolomini was a frequent member, drafted a decree requiring commissioners to hear testimonies about candidates for episcopal office and to report back to the council under oath. As the recommendation met with resistance among the council fathers, Piccolomini undertook to defend the motion in an oration to a General Congregation. He was not successful, and the proposed decree was not passed.

Keywords: Renaissance rhetorics; Provision of ecclesiastical benefices; Appointment of bishops; 15th century; Renaissance orations; Council of Basel; Papa Eugenio II; Papa Pio II; Renaissance oratory; Enea Silvio Piccolomini; Pope Eugenius IV; Pope Pius II; Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomini; Council of Basle; Pope Eugene IV; 1438; Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini

Domains: History, Philosophy and Sociology of Sciences

Michael Cotta-Schønberg. Oration “Si ea quae justa” of Enea Silvio Piccolomini (1438, Basel). Edited and translated by Michael von Cotta-Schönberg. Final Version (2025). (Collected Orations of Pope Pius II; 4). 2019. ⟨hprints-00941529v3⟩