tam Europam memorabilker gesta sunt, 7>.--'/>n wl annum 1458, Commentarius. At last Frederick senl Piccolomini a- hi- ambassador to pope Eugenius. This was a deli* .ate errand for one who had been a most a\ owed antag- onist of thai pontiff; hut Piccolomini managed so well
by his dexterity, his captivating addre-s. all(|. ahove all,
his eloquence, that the pope not only forgave him. but became hi- friend ; and Piccolomini had hardly returned I.. Germany from his mission when he received a papal brief appointing him apostolic seen tary. He accepted an office congenial to his clerical profession, and also because it fixed hi- residence in Italy. From that time a marked change took place in the opinions, or at least in the professions, of Piccolomini, and he became a de- cided advocate for the claims of the Bee of Home. Eu- genius died in 1117. ami his successor Nicholas V was recognised by the fathers of the Council of Basle, who, being forsaken by both tin- emperor and the French king, made their peace with Rome. Felix A" also hav- ing abdicated in favor of Nicholas, the schism of the Church was healed. Nicholas made Piccolomini bishop of Trieste, and afterwards of Siena, and sent him as nuncio to Germany and Bohemia, where he had several conferences with the Hussites, which he relate- in his Epistles (Epistola 130). He had. however, the merit — rare- in that age — of recommending mild and concilia- tory measures as the most Likely to reclaim dissenters to the bosom of the Church, lie wrote a work on the history of Bohemia and the Hussites, in which he states fairly and without any exaggeration the tenets of that sect, as well as those of the Waldenses, which he calls "impious." hut which are mainly the same that have since been acknowledged by the Protestant and lie- formed churches throughout Europe, lie relates (in his Historia Bcemicd) the burning of John Huss and Jerome of Prague, and speaks of their fortitude, "which,"
he says, "exceeded thai of any of the philosophers of antiquity," and he recapitulates literally their charges against the corruption of the clergy. In the yi ar 1 152 Piccolomini, being then in Italy, was present at the sol- emn coronation of Frederick III at Rome, and delivered an oration to the pope in the name of that sovereign, whom he afterwards accompanied to Naples. < »n their return to Koine In- delivered another oration before the pope, the emperor, and other German and Italian princes, ami the ambassadors of other European courts, for the purpose of exhort inn' them to form an effectual league against the 'links, who were then on the point of tak- ing Constantinople. Piccolomini fell the great danger to Christian Europe from the rapid advance of the Ot- toman conquerors, and his paramount object through the remainder of his life- was to form a -iron-- bulwark to protect Italy and Germany; but at tin- same time he was too well acquainted with the- politics of the various Christian conns, ami their selfish and petty jealousies,
p. expeel much union in their councils, and he cx- presses hi- \iews ami his doubts in a masterly manner iii several of his •• F.pistles." In December, 1 156, Calix- tns III. the successor of Nicholas A", made Piccolomini a cardinal: and in 1458, after the death of < alixtus. he was unanimously elected pope, ami assumed the name of Pius II.
His pontificate lasted only -ix years, bul during this period he distinguished himself by promoting learning, by inculcating peace and concord among the Christian princes, and exhorting them to unite their efforts againsl their common enemy, the barbarous Turks. The year after his election he convoked a congress ol the ambas- sadors of all the Christian sovereigns to arrange the plan of a general war against the < Ittomans. The pope himself repaired u> Mantua, accompanied by the learned Philelphus, who spoke eloquently in favor ol tie' pro- po-e.l League. Mosl of the Italian slates were willing to join in it. but Germany and France stood aloof, and nothing was decided. Pius also took the pain- to write a long letter to sultan Mohammed II. to convince him of the error- of lslamism. and to induce him to turn
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Christian. In the year 1464 an armament intended against the Turks was directed to assemble at Ancona, and soldiers began to repair thither from various parts. Matthias, king of Hungary, and Charles, duke of Bur- gundy, had promised to accompany the expedition. The Venetians also had promised the use of their fleet to for- ward the troops across the Adriatic into Albania. Pius II set off from Rome for Ancona, but on arriving there he found that the soldiers were in want of arms, clothes, and provisions ; the foreign princes did not come ; and instead of the Venetian fleet, only a few galleys made their appearance. The aged and disappointed pontiff fell ill, and on Aug. 14 he expired, after having taken leave of his cardinals, and begged forgiveness if he had erred in the government of the Church. He was gen- erally regretted, especially throughout Italy. He was succeeded by Paul II. Pius II, before his death, raised his native town, Corsignano, to the rank of a bishop's see, and gave it the name of Pienza, by which it is now known. Pius assisted Ferdinand, king of Naples, in his war against the duke of Anjou, the pretender to that crown. At the same time he was obliged to make war in his own states against Sigismondo Malatesta, lord of Rimini, and against the Savelli and other feudal barons, in all of which undertakings he was successful. By a bull addressed to the universities of Paris and of Cologne, Pius condemned his own writings in defence of the Coun- cil of Basle, concluding with these words: " Believe what I, an old man, now say to you, and not what I wrote when I was young; believe the pontiff rather than the private individual; reject ^-Eneas Sylvius, and accept Pius II." In several of his letters to his friends also, and especially to Pietro di Noceto, he expresses sorrow for his juvenile weaknesses, for he had once been too fond of the fair sex, and had even written accounts of some of his amor- ous adventures, and of those of other persons, which are found among his "Epistles." Some writers assert that iEneas Sylvius had refused the priestly office until his fortieth year because of his fondness for the fair sex; and they quote his own confessions in proof. But what- ever his previous life, as pontiff he was devoted to the Church, and sought the accomplishment of great things.