Francesco Coppini facts for kids

Francesco Coppini was an important Italian church official who lived a long time ago. He was born in a town called Prato before 1415 and later died in Rome in 1464. In 1459, Pope Pius II sent him to England to help stop a big fight between two powerful families, the Lancasters and the Yorks. This conflict was known as the Wars of the Roses.

Early Life and Church Career

Francesco Coppini was born in Prato, a city in Italy. We first hear about him in 1433 as a lawyer and an official in Florence. By 1437, he was working as a lawyer in Bologna and started his career in the church. He returned to Florence and became a canonicus, which is a type of priest.

From 1450 to 1452, he managed church money in Bologna. He also held other important jobs. During this time, he made many powerful friends among church leaders. In 1458, Pope Callistus III made him the bishop of Terni, an important position in the church.

Coppini's Important Mission

On January 7, 1459, Pope Pius II chose Francesco Coppini for a special mission. He was sent as a nuncio, which means a special representative of the Pope. This mission was supported by Francesco I Sforza, the Duke of Milan. Coppini's journey to England became known as the Coppini Mission.

His mission had two main goals:

• To help end the Wars of the Roses in England.
• To convince King Henry VI of England to join a crusade (a holy war) against the Turks.

Coppini also had other tasks to do in places like Burgundy, Cambrai, and the Netherlands.

Arriving in England

Coppini arrived in Dover, England, on June 4, 1459. He then traveled to London. He started talking with King Henry VI and invited him to a big meeting called the Council of Mantua. King Henry had already sent a small group to this meeting, but they didn't achieve much. The Pope's goals at the council were not fully met. This was partly because England and France were not getting along well at the time.

Becoming a Papal Legate

At first, Coppini was only a nuncio, which limited his power. To give him more influence in England, Pope Pius II made him a papal legate on December 11, 1459. A legate is a higher-ranking representative of the Pope. The Pope also asked Coppini to suggest another meeting to the English court in 1460. Coppini was also given the job of collecting a special church tax. This money was meant to help fight the Turks.

Supporting the Yorkists

In 1460, Queen Margaret of Anjou refused Coppini's efforts to collect the tax and announce the crusade. Because of this, Coppini started talking with the Yorkists. Key Yorkist leaders included the Earl of Warwick, the Earl of March, and the Earl of Salisbury.

Coppini returned from Bruges on July 2, 1460. Even though he said he wanted to negotiate, he clearly supported the Yorkists at the Battle of Northampton. After this battle, King Henry VI was under the control of the Yorkists. Coppini told Pope Pius II that he played a big part in setting up a new order in the kingdom. He believed he could now complete his mission for the Pope.

However, things changed after the Battle of Wakefield on December 30, 1460. The Yorkists faced a temporary setback. In January 1461, Coppini sent letters to Queen Margaret, trying to negotiate, but it didn't work. Then, he called for a crusade against the Lancastrians. He promised forgiveness for those who fought with Warwick. Preparing for the worst, Coppini left London for the mainland on February 10, 1461. After the Second Battle of St Albans on February 17, 1461, he ended his mission and fled to Bruges. He then traveled between Mechelen, Antwerp, and Paris, still keeping in touch with the Yorkists.

Later Life and Difficulties

After the Battle of Towton on March 29, 1461, both King Edward IV and Coppini's supporter in Milan, Francesco Sforza, asked the Pope to make Coppini a legate cardinal in England. This would have been a reward for his help. However, Pope Pius II chose the bishop of Arras as Coppini's replacement. This was to address concerns from the new French king, Louis XI, who had supported the Lancastrians.

Coppini returned to England with the bishop's group. But after France and the Lancastrians complained to the Pope, Coppini finally returned to Rome in November 1461, no longer in favor.

In March 1462, Pope Pius II had to give in to political demands. A process was started against Francesco Coppini. He was removed from his position as bishop and sent to Castel Sant'Angelo. He faced charges of wrongdoing, including misusing church funds and causing conflict. Coppini admitted to some things under pressure. On March 2, 1463, he was sent away to the Abbey of St Paul Outside the Walls. He took the new name of Ignatius on March 21, 1463. He was still trying to clear his name under the new Pope Paul II when he died on September 29, 1464.