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James of Pecorara
James of Pecorara or Giacomo da Pecorara (1170s – June 1244) was an Italian monk, cardinal and diplomat.
James was a cleric in the church of Ravenna before he joined the Cistercians in 1215, becoming abbot of Trois-Fontaines in France in 1223. Created a cardinal by Pope Gregory IX in 1231 and given the diocese of Palestrina, he served as a papal legate in Lombardy (1232), Hungary (1232–1234), Tuscany (1235), Lombardy a second time (1236–1237) and France (1239–1241). He was the vicar of the city of Rome on two occasions (1238–1239, 1243–1244). He was captured by the emperor and imprisoned for two years on account of his efforts towards an anti-imperial alliance (1241–1243).
James was born between 1170 and 1180. His father was Torniello of Pecorara. His family took its name, de Pecoraria, from their castle at Pecorara in the territory of Piacenza. They belonged to the local elite. James was born either at Cicogni in Pecorara or at Piacenza. He was probably the uncle of Cardinal James of Castell'Arquato. Nothing is known of his education. At some point, he was ordained a priest.
James's first clerical posting was in the church of San Donnino in Piacenza. He was a canon and archdeacon of the cathedral of Ravenna between 1211 and 1219. For reasons unknown, he abandoned the secular clergy and Ravenna to become a Cistercian monk in the abbey of Clairvaux in 1215. In 1223, he was elected abbot of Trois-Fontaines. Pope Honorius III put him in charge of the papal penitentiary and, about 1227, appointed him an auditor of the Roman Rota. In September 1231, Pope Gregory IX named him cardinal-bishop of Palestrina. His first subscription to a document as such is from November 1234.
In January 1232, James was named papal legate in northern Italy alongside Otto of Tonengo with the purpose of negotiating a reconciliation between Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, and the cities of the Lombard League. The mission was a failure because James chose, out of partiality to his native city, to bring the league's terms to the emperor rather than the emperor's terms to the league. Frederick, who was holding an imperial diet in Ravenna at the time, refused to meet the cardinals and conceived a strong dislike for James.
Shortly before July 1232, James was transferred as legate to Hungary. There his brief was to reconcile King Andrew II and Archbishop Robert of Esztergom, who had excommunicated the king for failing to uphold the Golden Bull of 1231 (itself an expanded version of the Golden Bull of 1222). This mission was more successful than his previous one. In 1233, James forced the Treaty of Bereg on Andrew, meeting all of Robert's demands. By the treaty, Andrew agreed not to employ Jews or Muslims in his financial administration. James was still in Hungary in the spring of 1234. His chaplain, Roger of Torrecuso, chose to remain there.
After Hungary, James worked at the Roman curia for a short period. Around this time, he founded a Cistercian nunnery at Paliano in the diocese of Palestrina. In 1234, he and Cardinal Raniero Capocci were asked by the general chapter of the Cistercian order to curb the luxurious living of certain Cistercians who had become bishops in Italy. In the general chapters of 1238 and 1239, it was ordered that James and Raniero be remembered annually in the order's prayers as a reward for their service.
In 1235, James was sent as a legate to Tuscany, where he arranged a peaceful settlement between the warring cities of Florence, Orvieto and Siena. In June 1236, he was sent for a second time as legate in Lombardy. He was replacing the legate Alberto da Rezzato and his brief was to block the holding of an imperial diet at Piacenza. He successfully brought Piacenza into the Guelph (pro-papal) fold, blocking Frederick's diet. The emperor complained to the pope about James, whom he regarded as an enemy and not a mediator, but the pope was initially unmoved. During his stay in native city, James arranged the election of a Cistercian named Egidio to the curacy of the church of Sant'Antonino. In 1237, he negotiated an alliance between the Papacy and the republics of Genoa and Venice. He then returned to Rome. In February 1237, he was replaced as legate in Lombardy by Cardinals Thomas of Capua and Rainald of Ostia.
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James of Pecorara
James of Pecorara or Giacomo da Pecorara (1170s – June 1244) was an Italian monk, cardinal and diplomat.
James was a cleric in the church of Ravenna before he joined the Cistercians in 1215, becoming abbot of Trois-Fontaines in France in 1223. Created a cardinal by Pope Gregory IX in 1231 and given the diocese of Palestrina, he served as a papal legate in Lombardy (1232), Hungary (1232–1234), Tuscany (1235), Lombardy a second time (1236–1237) and France (1239–1241). He was the vicar of the city of Rome on two occasions (1238–1239, 1243–1244). He was captured by the emperor and imprisoned for two years on account of his efforts towards an anti-imperial alliance (1241–1243).
James was born between 1170 and 1180. His father was Torniello of Pecorara. His family took its name, de Pecoraria, from their castle at Pecorara in the territory of Piacenza. They belonged to the local elite. James was born either at Cicogni in Pecorara or at Piacenza. He was probably the uncle of Cardinal James of Castell'Arquato. Nothing is known of his education. At some point, he was ordained a priest.
James's first clerical posting was in the church of San Donnino in Piacenza. He was a canon and archdeacon of the cathedral of Ravenna between 1211 and 1219. For reasons unknown, he abandoned the secular clergy and Ravenna to become a Cistercian monk in the abbey of Clairvaux in 1215. In 1223, he was elected abbot of Trois-Fontaines. Pope Honorius III put him in charge of the papal penitentiary and, about 1227, appointed him an auditor of the Roman Rota. In September 1231, Pope Gregory IX named him cardinal-bishop of Palestrina. His first subscription to a document as such is from November 1234.
In January 1232, James was named papal legate in northern Italy alongside Otto of Tonengo with the purpose of negotiating a reconciliation between Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, and the cities of the Lombard League. The mission was a failure because James chose, out of partiality to his native city, to bring the league's terms to the emperor rather than the emperor's terms to the league. Frederick, who was holding an imperial diet in Ravenna at the time, refused to meet the cardinals and conceived a strong dislike for James.
Shortly before July 1232, James was transferred as legate to Hungary. There his brief was to reconcile King Andrew II and Archbishop Robert of Esztergom, who had excommunicated the king for failing to uphold the Golden Bull of 1231 (itself an expanded version of the Golden Bull of 1222). This mission was more successful than his previous one. In 1233, James forced the Treaty of Bereg on Andrew, meeting all of Robert's demands. By the treaty, Andrew agreed not to employ Jews or Muslims in his financial administration. James was still in Hungary in the spring of 1234. His chaplain, Roger of Torrecuso, chose to remain there.
After Hungary, James worked at the Roman curia for a short period. Around this time, he founded a Cistercian nunnery at Paliano in the diocese of Palestrina. In 1234, he and Cardinal Raniero Capocci were asked by the general chapter of the Cistercian order to curb the luxurious living of certain Cistercians who had become bishops in Italy. In the general chapters of 1238 and 1239, it was ordered that James and Raniero be remembered annually in the order's prayers as a reward for their service.
In 1235, James was sent as a legate to Tuscany, where he arranged a peaceful settlement between the warring cities of Florence, Orvieto and Siena. In June 1236, he was sent for a second time as legate in Lombardy. He was replacing the legate Alberto da Rezzato and his brief was to block the holding of an imperial diet at Piacenza. He successfully brought Piacenza into the Guelph (pro-papal) fold, blocking Frederick's diet. The emperor complained to the pope about James, whom he regarded as an enemy and not a mediator, but the pope was initially unmoved. During his stay in native city, James arranged the election of a Cistercian named Egidio to the curacy of the church of Sant'Antonino. In 1237, he negotiated an alliance between the Papacy and the republics of Genoa and Venice. He then returned to Rome. In February 1237, he was replaced as legate in Lombardy by Cardinals Thomas of Capua and Rainald of Ostia.