Gli agenti presso la Santa Sede delle comunità e degli stati stranieri I. secoli XV-XVIII

Matteo Sanfilippo – Péter Tusor (ed.)

Gli agenti presso la Santa Sede delle comunità e degli stati stranieri I. secoli XVXVIII, a cura di Matteo Sanfilippo, Péter Tusor, (Studi di storia delle istituzioni ecclesiastiche 8) Viterbo: Sette Cittá 2020. 264 p.

This volume contains the studies presented on the international symposium of 27–28 September 2018, organised in Budapest by the MTA-PPKE Fraknói Vilmos Vatican Historical Research Group and by Professor Matteo Sanfilippo’s research institute specialized in the history of the papacy (University of Viterbo DISUCOM). The authors address the question of who and how represented the affairs of the local churches at the Apostolic See in the early modern period. The introduction of the two editors, Matteo Sanfilippo and Péter Tusor, is followed by ten studies. The usage of the volume is assisted by an index of names.

The article of Tamás Fedeles introduces the diplomatic representation of the Kingdom of Hungary in Rome in the late Middle Ages by focusing on the question whether of what status and nationality the representatives had, what qualifications they had and what expectations they faced. Péter Tusor introduces the agents of the bench of bishops in the 17th century, who were regarded as the envoys of the archbishop of Esztergom at first, and then since 1639 they became permanent agents of the whole Hungarian church in Rome until the end of the century. The study circumscribes their authority, duties and their accentual role as a source of information.

Silvano Giordano OCD analyses the ways of communications between the Spanish Monarchy and the Roman Curia at the beginning of the 17th century by detailing the actions of the ordinary and special envoys serving in Rome at the same time, of the cardinal protectors, of the auditors of the Rota Romana and of the agents. Ignasi Fernandez Terricabras, the associate professor of the Universitat Autonòma de Barcelona examines – out of the Spanish representatives working in Rome at the same time in parallel – the roles of the Spanish Inquisition’s agents by stating that their main duty was the defence of the Spanish general inquisitor and the inquisitional committee against the incidental intervention of the Roman dicasteries. James Nelson Novoa, the historian of the University of Ottawa discourses about the official acceptance of the Portugal representation in Rome, and then about the Portugal agents of the 16th century in Rome.

Bertrand Marceau (École Française de Rome) outlines the career of Louis de Bourlémont, the French auditor of the Rota and his actions as the Roman agent of Louis XIV in the context of the conflicts between the emerging French absolutism and the Papal State that was losing its role as a European great-power. Matteo Binasco, who teaches at the University of Siena, introduces the history of the Irish agents in the 17th century. Matteo Sanfilippo focuses on the 17-18th century by touching upon the 19th century: he outlines the representation of the French colonies, the territories of the British Crown and the United States of America and the related diverse duties of the agents.

Gaetano Platania analyses the duties of the Polish agents based on the Barberini fond of the Vatican Apostolic Library. He points out that their role changed by the second half of the 17th century: instead of leading diplomatic representation, they had to deal with cases of administrative nature, which were tried to be conducted within the shortest period of time possible considering the complex labyrinths of the Curia. Alessandro Boccolini analyses the work of Agent Abbot Paolo Doni, who lived in the 17th century and was the representative of John II Casimir Vasa in Rome and Naples.