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Otto of Tonengo
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Otto of Tonengo
Otto of Tonengo (c. 1190 – 1250/1251) was an Italian papal diplomat and cardinal, first as deacon of San Nicola in Carcere from 1227 and then as bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina from 1244.
He is called in many English sources Otto Candidus, meaning "Otto the White", a name he used himself.
Otto had a legal education, and had joined the Roman curia by 1225. His first mission was to England to raise funds for the Sixth Crusade in 1225–1226. In 1227–1228, he undertook his first embassy to Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor. In 1229–1231, he travelled extensively through France, the Low Countries, Germany, Denmark and Norway on Papal business. In 1232–1233, he undertook his second embassy to Frederick II.
In 1237–1240, he was the apostolic legate in England, Scotland and Ireland. This was by far his most successful mission. Returning to the curia, he was captured by imperial forces in the battle of Giglio in 1241. He remained imprisoned at least until 1243. In 1244–1245, he undertook a third and final embassy to Frederick II. Thereafter, his work slowed down and he is not heard of after 1249.
Otto was born at Tonengo in the Piedmont, between about 1180 and 1200, into a family closely linked to the nobility of Cocconato and Cavagnolo and to the Fieschi of Genoa. His family was among the feudatories of the Marquisate of Montferrat, but he was not a blood relative of Marquis William III, as sometimes alleged. He was a friend of William of Modena.
Otto began his ecclesiastical career as a canon and general assessor in the cathedral of Ivrea in the 1210s. He was soon acting as a judge delegate, which suggests he had a legal education. In 1224, he was studying law at the University of Bologna when he was sent before Pope Honorius III to protest on behalf of the school the regulations imposed by the podestà and comune. He received the rank of magister and may be the magister decretorum (master of decretals) named Otto who was a canon for a time in the cathedral of Bologna.
Otto impressed Honorius III on his mission of 1224 and he was recruited into the Papal chancery and appointed a Papal chaplain. By February 1225, he held the post of auditor litterarum contradictarum, auditor of contradicting letters. Later that year, as a subdeacon, he was sent to England to raise funds for the Sixth Crusade. He left England before Easter 1226, having achieved little.
After his return to Rome, Otto witnessed a testamentary codicil of a fellow Piedmontese, Cardinal Guala Bicchieri. It is probably through connection such as this that he rose so fast in ecclesiastical ranks. He was appointed cardinal deacon of San Nicola in Carcere by Pope Gregory IX on 18 September 1227, a little over two years since entering the Papal chancery. His first subscription as a cardinal is dated 23 September.
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Otto of Tonengo
Otto of Tonengo (c. 1190 – 1250/1251) was an Italian papal diplomat and cardinal, first as deacon of San Nicola in Carcere from 1227 and then as bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina from 1244.
He is called in many English sources Otto Candidus, meaning "Otto the White", a name he used himself.
Otto had a legal education, and had joined the Roman curia by 1225. His first mission was to England to raise funds for the Sixth Crusade in 1225–1226. In 1227–1228, he undertook his first embassy to Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor. In 1229–1231, he travelled extensively through France, the Low Countries, Germany, Denmark and Norway on Papal business. In 1232–1233, he undertook his second embassy to Frederick II.
In 1237–1240, he was the apostolic legate in England, Scotland and Ireland. This was by far his most successful mission. Returning to the curia, he was captured by imperial forces in the battle of Giglio in 1241. He remained imprisoned at least until 1243. In 1244–1245, he undertook a third and final embassy to Frederick II. Thereafter, his work slowed down and he is not heard of after 1249.
Otto was born at Tonengo in the Piedmont, between about 1180 and 1200, into a family closely linked to the nobility of Cocconato and Cavagnolo and to the Fieschi of Genoa. His family was among the feudatories of the Marquisate of Montferrat, but he was not a blood relative of Marquis William III, as sometimes alleged. He was a friend of William of Modena.
Otto began his ecclesiastical career as a canon and general assessor in the cathedral of Ivrea in the 1210s. He was soon acting as a judge delegate, which suggests he had a legal education. In 1224, he was studying law at the University of Bologna when he was sent before Pope Honorius III to protest on behalf of the school the regulations imposed by the podestà and comune. He received the rank of magister and may be the magister decretorum (master of decretals) named Otto who was a canon for a time in the cathedral of Bologna.
Otto impressed Honorius III on his mission of 1224 and he was recruited into the Papal chancery and appointed a Papal chaplain. By February 1225, he held the post of auditor litterarum contradictarum, auditor of contradicting letters. Later that year, as a subdeacon, he was sent to England to raise funds for the Sixth Crusade. He left England before Easter 1226, having achieved little.
After his return to Rome, Otto witnessed a testamentary codicil of a fellow Piedmontese, Cardinal Guala Bicchieri. It is probably through connection such as this that he rose so fast in ecclesiastical ranks. He was appointed cardinal deacon of San Nicola in Carcere by Pope Gregory IX on 18 September 1227, a little over two years since entering the Papal chancery. His first subscription as a cardinal is dated 23 September.
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