Domenico Capranica

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Cardinal,theologian, canonist, and statesman, b. at Capranica nearPalestrina, Italy, in 1400; d. atRome, 14 July, 1458. After brilliant studies in canon andcivil law at Padua and Bologna, under such teachers as the later Cardinals Giuliano Cesarini andNicholas of Cusa, he received the title of Doctor of Both Laws at the age of twenty-one. Soon he became secretary toMartin V, and Apostolic prothonotary, and in 1423 or 1426 was madecardinalin petto by thispope, though hisnomination was not published in secret consistory until 1430. He had earned this rapid promotion by various political and military services, notable by his administration ofImola and Forli and by his successful reduction of rebellious Bologna. In the meantime he had becomeBishop ofFermo, but for some reason did not go toRome for the public ceremonies of thecardinalate. Despite his protest, and their previous agreement withMartin V, thecardinals of theconclave that followed the latter's death (1431) refused to recognize Capranica'snomination, and the newpope,Eugene IV, sustained their decision on the ground that the delivery of the hat and assignment of the title werenecessary for the validity of acardinalitialnomination. Capranica, having already suffered severe losses atRome through the enmity of the Orsini, took refuge first with the Visconti ofMilan and later appealed (1432) to the Council of Basle for recognition of his title. This was granted, but to punish him for adhering to the CouncilEugene IV deprived him of all honours and dignities, also of all his possessions. Capranica, then served by Æneas Sylvius as secretary, bore himself with moderation and caution, and soon sought a reconciliation with thepope at Florence (30 April, 1434), who restored to him his offices and goods, gave him thecardinalitial Title of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, and sent him to the Council atFerrara, with special commission to treat with the Greekbishops andtheologians concerning the reunion of the Churches. He frequently administered important departments of theStates of the Church, always withjustice,prudence, and integrity. He executed twelve responsible embassies for theApostolic See, and was named (1449) Grand Penitentiary and Archpriest of theLateran. Capranica was one of the most earnest reformers in theRoman Church, inaugurated the restoration of primitive fervour among theCistercians ofTuscany, and drew up forNicholas V, in 1449, a model plan of a general religious reformation (Pastor, Gesch. d. Päpste, 4th ed. I, 394-96). He was extremely stern and severe in character, and in theduties of his office open and free of speech, also quite fearless. He insisted on a personal examination of the votes cast forNicholas V, whose election greatly surprised him, and remonstrated vigorously withCallistus III for his nepotism, especially in thenomination of Don Pedro Luis Borgia as Vicar (governor) ofSpoleto (Pastor, op. cit., tr. II, 461). While very liberal to thepoor, on the other hand he was austere and rigid towards the worldlyprelates of the city and was wont to freely reproach them. His household was a model for correctness and simplicity of life. Capranica was eminent as a peacemaker, notable atGenoa, where he healed grievous municipal dissensions, and again between theApostolic See and King Alfonso ofNaples and the princes ofGermany. During the plague of 1456 he remained atRome when many others fled. He took a very prominent part in all the negotiations for acrusade against theTurks in the hope of restoring Constantinople to the Palæologi. To posterity he is best known as the founder of the Collegio Capranica (seeROMAN COLLEGES), which he opened in his own palace (the oldest Roman monument of the earlyRenaissance) for thirty-one poor scholars, sixteen intheology and the liberal arts, and fifteen in canon law. Its constitutions, drawn up by himself (Rome, 1705, 1879), are praised as a model of their kind; the college itself is the oldest of the Roman colleges and therefore rejoices in the peculiar title of "Almo Collegio". In 1460 his brother Cardinal Angelo Capranica erected nearby a special building for the college (Denifle, Die Universitäten, I, 317 sqq.). He left all hisproperty to ecclestiastical uses, saying: "TheChurch gave it to me; I give it back, for I am not its master, but its steward. I should indeed have reaped but little profit from the nights spent in studyingecclesiastical discipline if I were to leave to my relatives the goods of theChurch which belong to the poor" (Pastor, op. cit. II, 492) At his death theMilanese ambassador wrote home that "the wisest, the most perfect, the most learned, and the holiestprelate whom theChurch has in our days possessed is gone from us". He added that he was universally considered as the nextpope (op. cit. II, 494). Pastor himself says that of all thecardinals of theRenaissance Age none butAlbergati, Cesarini, andCarvajal can be compared with him (ibid., 495). He lies buried in Santa Maria sopra Minerva, nearSt. Catherine of Siena. He wrote an excellentopusculum known as "The Art of Dying Well" printed in 1487. In his life by Catalanus (see below) are some notes on the Council of Basle, and he is said by Mansi (in Moroni) to have written a history of that council, never printed. He also drew up for the instruction of his nephew certain "Rules of Life" that Pastor says reflect his beautiful character.

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