ORSINI
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ORSINI
prisoners the two Orsini, carryinR them away from the
Conclave aiul liolding them in custody. The candi-
date of the I'lenoh party was now elected pope under
the name of Martin IV (22 February, 1281), where-
upon Giordano was released, and afterwards Matt-eo
Rosso. The instigator of the attack was excommuni-
cated and the city of \'iterbo placed under an interdict.
When the news of the capture of the two Cardinals
Orsini was received in Rome, great confusion ensued.
Their relati\'es were driven from the city by the ad-
herents of the Annibaldi, but were later recalled by
Martin IV, with whom the Cardinals Orsini had
become reconciled. During the conflict between
Boniface VIII and Philip the Fair of France, it was
Cardinal Matteo who, having remained faithful to the
persecuteil (jontiff, brought Boniface back to Rome
after the attack of Anagni (1303). Cardinal Matteo
attended the numerous conclaves held between 1254
and 1305, there being no less than thirteen. He died
in Perugia in 1305 or 1306. His body was later trans-
ferred to Rome, where it lies in the Orsini Chapel in St.
Peter's.
(2) Napoleone Orsini, son of Rinaldo, a brother of Pope Nicholas III, b. 1263; d. at Avignon, 24 March, 1342. In his youth he embraced the ecclesiastical state, was appointed papal chaplain by Honorius IV (1285-7), was created Cardinal Deacon of S. Adriano by Nicholas IV in May, 1288, and later, under Clem- ent V was named archpriest of St. Peter's. Commis- sioned by Pope Boniface VIII, he brought Orvieto back to its submission to the Holy See, shortly after which the pope named him legate for Umbria, Spoleto, and the March of Ancona. In this capacity he left the Curia on 27 May, 1300, returning, however, on 28 May, 1301. During this time he had to combat va- rious enemies of the Roman Church, and recovered the city of Gubbio for the pope. He was entrusted with his second papal legation by Clement V. Leaving Avignon, which was at that time the residence of the Curia, he set out on 8 March, 1306, for the Papal States with the commission to make peace between the parties which were everywhere at variance, and to bring back the various states of the Roman Church to their allegiance to the pope. This mission occupied more than three years, terminating on 12 June, 1309. Cardinal Napoleone played an important part during the political disturbances of the time. At first an op- ponent of the Colonna and their ambitions, he later became a promoter of French policy and entered into close relations with the French rulers. At the elec- tions of Clement V and John XXII he exercised a decisive influence, but subsequently became an enemy of the latter. He upheld the Franciscan Spirituals, and espoused the cause of King Louis of Bavaria against the pope. A cardinal for fifty-four years, he took part in the election of seven popes (Celestine V to Clement VI), on at least three of whom he placed the tiara. He is also known as an author, having written a biography of St. Clare of Montefalco.
(3) GiAN Gaetano Orsini, prothonotary Apostolic, raised to the cardinalate by Pope John XXII in De- cember, 1316; d. 1339 (or, according to some sources, 27 August, 1.335). In 1326 he was sent to Italy as papal legate for certain lands belonging to the Papal States, and remained there until 1334, He endeav- oured, though with little success, to bring back several rebelUous states and vassals to their allegiance to the Apostolic See, excommunicated the obstinate Cas- truccio of Lucca and Bishop Guido Tarlato of Arezzo, as both supported the Visconti of Milan in their con- flict against the pope, and, after the coronation of King Louis the Bavarian in Rome in 1327, placed that city under an interdict. After the departure of the excommunicated emperor, the legate entered Rome with the army of King Robert of Naples, whereupon the people once more agreed to recognize the suze- rainty of the pope. John XXII, however, refused to
sanction the war undertaken by the cardinal legate
against the Colonna, and ordered him to return to
Tuscany. In November, 132S, he opened a campaign
.against the cities of Corneto ami Viterbo, which
submitted to the pope in the following year. The
years between 1334 and his death he passed in
Avignon.
(4) Matteo Orsini, d. probably on IS August, KMO. He entered the Dominican Order, coniplclcd I he full course of theology, obtained the Dcgn^e of Master, and taught theology at Paris, Florence, and Rome. He won great distinction by his zeal for the .spread of the order, and was appointed provincial of the Koman province in 1322. In this capacity he became a mem- ber of the embassy deputed by the Romans to invite John XXII to transfer liis r('si(l(Mice to the Eternal City. On 20 October, 1326, the pope named him Bishop of Girgenti (Sicily), but shortly after (15 June, 1327) transferred him to the archicpiscopal See of Liponto (Manfredonia, Soutliern Italy), made him Cardinal-Priest of S. Giovanni e Paolo on 18 De- cember, 1327, and Cardinal-Bishop of Sabina on 18 December, 1338. He continued in various ways to promote the welfare of the Dominican Order, richly endowing the Convent of St. Dominic in Bologna.
(5) GiACOMO Or.sini, created cardinal-deacon by Gregory XI on 30 May, 1371, d. at Vicovaro or at Tagliacozzo, 1379. He was distinguished for his kno%vledge of the law. Appointed papal legate in Siena in 1376, he was a strong supporter of Gregory XI. In the Conclave of 1378, he espoused the cause of Urban VI, but later attached himself to the anti- pope Clement VII
(6) PoNCELLo Orsini, Bishop of Aversa (Southern Italy) from 19 June, 1370, d. 2 February, 1395. He was created cardinal-priest with the title of St. Clem- ent at the great consistory convoked by Urban VI on 28 September, 1378. He became papal legate, and at first worked zealously for the interests of Urban VI after the outbreak of the schism. Later, however, repelled by the impetuous procedure of the pope, he secretly left the Curia and took up his abode upon his own possessions. At the Conclave of 1389, he was a candidate for the papacy. The new pope, Boniface IX, appointed him to important ecclesiastical offices, and he exercised great influence upon the Curia until his death.
(7) ToMMASO, of the line of the Counts of Manupello, raised to the cardinalate (1381) by Urban VI; d. 1() July, 1390. He was sent by the pope as legate to the Patrimony and the Marches, where Prince Rinaldo Orsini of Aquila and Tagliacozzo had seized the cities of Urbino and Spoleto in addition to other territory. The legate declared war against him and won back for the pope the cities of Narni, Ameli, Terni, and later also Viterbo. His conduct towards the Papal Vicar of Viterbo, brought upon himself the disfavour of the pope, who imprisoned him in the fortress of Amelia, but later granted him his liberty. On the occasion of the conspiracy of several of the cardinals against Urban, Cardinal Orsini remained loyal to the pope. His relations were intimate with Urban's successor, Boniface IX, during whose pontificate he died.
(8) Giordano Orsini, a very distinguished person- ality in the College of Cardinals in the first three de- cades of the fifteenth century, d. at Petricoh, 29 July, 1438. After a thorough and comprehensive training, he became Auditor of the Rota, and in February, 1400, was raised by Boniface IX to the Archiepiscopal See of Naples. On 12 June, 1405, Innocent VII made him a member of the College of Cardinals, at first with the title of St. Martino of Monti, and later with that of S. Lorenzo in Damaso. In 1412 he was appointed Cardinal-Bishop of Albano, and in 1431 Cardinal-BLshop of Sabina. He participated in the election of Gregory XII (1406), but later, with several other cardinals, renounced allegiance to the pope,
