Francesco Uguccione facts for kids

Francesco Uguccione was an important church leader who lived a long time ago. He was known as the Archbishop of Bordeaux from 1384 until he died in 1412. He was also a lawyer from a city called Urbino in Italy. Francesco Uguccione was a strong supporter of the King of England during a very long conflict called the Hundred Years' War.

Early Career and Important Roles

Francesco Uguccione began his career as a special representative of the Pope. This role is called an apostolic legate. He worked in Barcelona before he became the Archbishop of Bordeaux.

In the year 1400, Uguccione took on another important job. He was appointed as a proctor for Gascony. A proctor is like a legal representative. He shared this role with the Bishop of Bath and Wells, and also with Hugh le Despenser. Gascony was a region in France that was controlled by England at the time.

A Cardinal and Diplomat

By 1406, the French forces were gaining a lot of power in the region of Gascony. At this time, Uguccione had become a cardinal. A cardinal is a very high-ranking official in the Catholic Church, just below the Pope.

As a cardinal, Uguccione started sending many urgent letters to the English king, Henry Bolingbroke. He asked the king for help and explained how serious the situation was. He even mentioned the death of a loyal Gascon lord who had been protecting a fortress. Uguccione wrote to the king, saying he had "cried so much that my voice has become hoarse." This shows how worried he was about the English lands in France.

Travels and the Western Schism

Because he was an important diplomat and cardinal, Uguccione traveled a lot in the early 1400s. In the autumn of 1408, he went to England. His goal was to convince the English to send people to a big meeting called the Council of Pisa. This council was trying to end a difficult time in the church called the Western Schism. During the Western Schism, there were two or even three Popes at the same time, which caused a lot of confusion.

Uguccione managed to convince the English to send a group to the council. However, the Council of Pisa did not solve the problem. Instead, it made the split in the church even worse.

Later Life and Legacy

After his trip to England, Uguccione traveled to Italy. His secretary, Pey Berland, went with him. In 1410, Uguccione rewarded Berland for his loyalty. He gave him a special position at Bordeaux Cathedral.

In 1412, Uguccione and Berland were in Florence when Uguccione passed away. Berland made sure his burial was handled properly. After that, Berland went on a long journey to the Holy Land before returning to Bordeaux.

Even after Uguccione's death, his kindness to Berland was remembered. In 1413, Pope John XXIII granted Berland a special payment called a prebend. The Pope did this because Uguccione had asked that his "beloved servant" Berland not be forgotten. After Francesco Uguccione, David de Montferrand became the new Archbishop of Bordeaux.