Philippe de Mézières
Encyclopedia
Philippe de Mézières French
soldier and author, was born at the chateau of Mézières in Picardy
.
He belonged to the poorer nobility
, and first served under Lucchino Visconti in Lombardy
, but within a year he entered the service of Andrew, Duke of Calabria
, who was assassinated in September 1345. In the autumn of that year he set out for the East in the French army. After the Battle of Smyrna in 1346 he was made a knight, and when the French army was disbanded he made his way to Jerusalem. He realized the advantage which the discipline of the Saracens gave them over the disorderly armies of the West, and conceived the idea of a new order of knighthood, but his efforts proved fruitless. The first sketch of the order was drawn up by him in his Nova religio passionis (1367–1368; revised and enlarged in 1386 and 1396). From Jerusalem he found his way in 1347 to Cyprus
to the court of Hugh IV
, where he found a kindred enthusiast in the king's son, Peter of Lusignan
, then count of Tripoli
; but he soon left Cyprus, and had resumed his career as a soldier of fortune
when the accession of Peter to the throne of Cyprus
(Nov. 1358) and his recognition as king of Jerusalem
induced Philippe to return to the island, probably in 1360, when he became chancellor.
He came under the influence of the pious legate Peter Thomas (d. 1366), whose friend and biographer he was to be, and Thomas, who became Latin patriarch of Constantinople
in 1364, was one of the chief promoters of the crusade of 1365
. In 1362 Peter of Cyprus, with the legate and Philippe
visited the princes of western Europe in quest of support for a new crusade, and when the king returned to the east he left Philippe and Peter Thomas to represent his case at Avignon
and in the cities of northern Italy
. They preached the crusade throughout Germany
, and later Philippe accompanied Peter to Alexandria
. After the capture of this city he received the government of a third part of it and a promise for the creation of his order, but the Crusaders, satisfied by the immense booty, refused to continue the campaign.
In June 1366 Philippe was sent to Venice
, to Avignon
and to the kingdoms of western Europe, to obtain help against the Saracens, who now threatened the kingdom of Cyprus. His efforts were in vain; even Pope Urban V
advised peace with the sultan
. Philippe remained for some time at Avignon, seeking recruits for his order, and writing his Vita S. Petri Thomasii (Antwerp, 1659), which is invaluable for the history of the Alexandrian expedition. The Prefacio and Epistola, which form the first draft of his work on the projected order of the Passion, were written at this time.
Philippe returned to Cyprus in 1368, but was still at Venice
when Peter was assassinated at Nicosia
at the beginning of 1369, and he remained there until 1372, when he went to the court of the new pope Gregory XI
at Avignon. He occupied himself with trying to establish in the west of Europe the feast of the Presentation of the Virgin, the office of which originated in the Greek church and had later been adopted by the Latin church in Cyprus (Coleman, pp. 3–4, 43). In 1373 he was in Paris, and he was thenceforward, together with intellectuals like Nicole Oresme, one of the trusted counsellors of Charles V
, although this king had refused to be dragged into a crusade. He was tutor to his son, the future Charles VI
, but after the death of Charles V he was compelled, with the other counsellors of the late king, to go into retirement.
He lived thenceforward in the convent of the Celestines
in Paris
, but nevertheless continued to exert an influence on public affairs, and to his close alliance with Louis of Orleans
may be put down the calumnies with which the Burgundian historians covered his name. When Charles VI freed himself from the domination of his uncles Philippe's power increased. To this period of his life belong most of his writings. Two devotional treatises, the Contemplatio horae mortis and the Soliloquuum peccatoris, belong to 1386-1387. In 1389 he wrote his Songe du Vieil Pèlerin, an elaborate allegorical voyage in which he described the customs of Europe and the near East, and advocated peace with England and the pursuit of the Crusade. His Oratio tragedica, largely autobiographical, was written with similar aims. In 1395 he addressed to Richard II of England
an Epistre pressing his marriage with Isabella of Valois. The Crusade of 1396 inspired Philippe with no enthusiasm. The disaster of the Battle of Nicopolis
on September 25, 1396 justified his fears and was the occasion of his last work, the Epistre lamentable el consolatoire, in which he put forward once more the principles of his order as a remedy against future disasters.
Some of his letters were printed in the Revue historique (vol. xlix.); the two épistres just mentioned in Kervyn de Lettenhove's edition of Froissart
's Chroniques
(vols. xv. and xvi.). The Songe du vergier or Somnium viridarii, written about 1376, is sometimes attributed to him, but without definite proofs.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
soldier and author, was born at the chateau of Mézières in Picardy
Picardy
This article is about the historical French province. For other uses, see Picardy .Picardy is a historical province of France, in the north of France...
.
He belonged to the poorer nobility
French nobility
The French nobility was the privileged order of France in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern periods.In the political system of the Estates General, the nobility made up the Second Estate...
, and first served under Lucchino Visconti in Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
, but within a year he entered the service of Andrew, Duke of Calabria
Andrew, Duke of Calabria
Andrew, Duke of Calabria was the second surviving son of Charles I of Hungary and Elizabeth of Poland...
, who was assassinated in September 1345. In the autumn of that year he set out for the East in the French army. After the Battle of Smyrna in 1346 he was made a knight, and when the French army was disbanded he made his way to Jerusalem. He realized the advantage which the discipline of the Saracens gave them over the disorderly armies of the West, and conceived the idea of a new order of knighthood, but his efforts proved fruitless. The first sketch of the order was drawn up by him in his Nova religio passionis (1367–1368; revised and enlarged in 1386 and 1396). From Jerusalem he found his way in 1347 to Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
to the court of Hugh IV
Hugh IV of Cyprus
Hugh IV of Cyprus was King of Cyprus from 31 March 1324 to his abdication, on 24 November 1358 and, nominally, King of Jerusalem, as Hugh II, until his death...
, where he found a kindred enthusiast in the king's son, Peter of Lusignan
Peter I of Cyprus
Peter I of Cyprus or Pierre I de Lusignan was King of Cyprus, and Titular King of Jerusalem from his father's abdication on 24 November 1358 until his own death in 1369. He was also Latin King of Armenia from either 1361 or 1368...
, then count of Tripoli
County of Tripoli
The County of Tripoli was the last Crusader state founded in the Levant, located in what today are parts of western Syria and northern Lebanon, where exists the modern city of Tripoli. The Crusader state was captured and created by Christian forces in 1109, originally held by Bertrand of Toulouse...
; but he soon left Cyprus, and had resumed his career as a soldier of fortune
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
when the accession of Peter to the throne of Cyprus
Kingdom of Cyprus
The Kingdom of Cyprus was a Crusader kingdom on the island of Cyprus in the high and late Middle Ages, between 1192 and 1489. It was ruled by the French House of Lusignan.-History:...
(Nov. 1358) and his recognition as king of Jerusalem
Kings of Jerusalem
This is a list of kings of Jerusalem, from 1099 to 1291, as well as claimants to the title up to the present day.-Kings of Jerusalem :...
induced Philippe to return to the island, probably in 1360, when he became chancellor.
He came under the influence of the pious legate Peter Thomas (d. 1366), whose friend and biographer he was to be, and Thomas, who became Latin patriarch of Constantinople
Latin Patriarch of Constantinople
The Latin Patriarch of Constantinople was an office established as a result of Crusader activity in the Near East. The title should not be confused with that of the Patriarch of Constantinople, an office which existed before and after....
in 1364, was one of the chief promoters of the crusade of 1365
Alexandrian Crusade
The brief Alexandrian Crusade occurred in October of 1365 and was led by Peter I of Cyprus against Alexandria. Almost completely devoid of religious impetus, it differs from the more prominent Crusades in that it seems to have been motivated entirely by economic interests.-History:Peter I spent...
. In 1362 Peter of Cyprus, with the legate and Philippe
Mézières
Mézières can refer to:People*Jean-Claude Mézières, French comic book artist*Rob De Mezieres, South African writer and director*Nicolas Le Camus de Mézières , French architect and theoretician*Philippe de Mézières Mézières can refer to:People*Jean-Claude Mézières, French comic book artist*Rob De...
visited the princes of western Europe in quest of support for a new crusade, and when the king returned to the east he left Philippe and Peter Thomas to represent his case at Avignon
Avignon Papacy
The Avignon Papacy was the period from 1309 to 1376 during which seven Popes resided in Avignon, in modern-day France. This arose from the conflict between the Papacy and the French crown....
and in the cities of northern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. They preached the crusade throughout Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and later Philippe accompanied Peter to Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
. After the capture of this city he received the government of a third part of it and a promise for the creation of his order, but the Crusaders, satisfied by the immense booty, refused to continue the campaign.
In June 1366 Philippe was sent to Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, to Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
and to the kingdoms of western Europe, to obtain help against the Saracens, who now threatened the kingdom of Cyprus. His efforts were in vain; even Pope Urban V
Pope Urban V
Pope Urban V , born Guillaume Grimoard, was Pope from 1362 to 1370.-Biography:Grimoard was a native of Grizac in Languedoc . He became a Benedictine and a doctor in Canon Law, teaching at Montpellier and Avignon...
advised peace with the sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
. Philippe remained for some time at Avignon, seeking recruits for his order, and writing his Vita S. Petri Thomasii (Antwerp, 1659), which is invaluable for the history of the Alexandrian expedition. The Prefacio and Epistola, which form the first draft of his work on the projected order of the Passion, were written at this time.
Philippe returned to Cyprus in 1368, but was still at Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
when Peter was assassinated at Nicosia
Nicosia
Nicosia from , known locally as Lefkosia , is the capital and largest city in Cyprus, as well as its main business center. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, with the southern and the northern portions divided by a Green Line...
at the beginning of 1369, and he remained there until 1372, when he went to the court of the new pope Gregory XI
Pope Gregory XI
Gregory XI was pope from 1370 until his death.-Biography:He was born Pierre Roger de Beaufort, in Maumont, in the modern commune of Rosiers-d'Égletons, Limousin around 1336. He succeeded Pope Urban V in 1370, and was pope until 1378...
at Avignon. He occupied himself with trying to establish in the west of Europe the feast of the Presentation of the Virgin, the office of which originated in the Greek church and had later been adopted by the Latin church in Cyprus (Coleman, pp. 3–4, 43). In 1373 he was in Paris, and he was thenceforward, together with intellectuals like Nicole Oresme, one of the trusted counsellors of Charles V
Charles V of France
Charles V , called the Wise, was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380 and a member of the House of Valois...
, although this king had refused to be dragged into a crusade. He was tutor to his son, the future Charles VI
Charles VI of France
Charles VI , called the Beloved and the Mad , was the King of France from 1380 to 1422, as a member of the House of Valois. His bouts with madness, which seem to have begun in 1392, led to quarrels among the French royal family, which were exploited by the neighbouring powers of England and Burgundy...
, but after the death of Charles V he was compelled, with the other counsellors of the late king, to go into retirement.
He lived thenceforward in the convent of the Celestines
Celestines
Celestines are a Roman Catholic monastic order, a branch of the Benedictines, founded in 1244. At the foundation of the new rule, they were called Hermits of St Damiano, or Moronites , and did not assume the appellation of Celestines until after the election of their founder to the Papacy as...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, but nevertheless continued to exert an influence on public affairs, and to his close alliance with Louis of Orleans
Louis of Valois, Duke of Orléans
Louis I was Duke of Orléans from 1392 to his death. He was also Count of Valois, Duke of Touraine , Count of Blois , Angoulême , Périgord, Dreux, and Soissons....
may be put down the calumnies with which the Burgundian historians covered his name. When Charles VI freed himself from the domination of his uncles Philippe's power increased. To this period of his life belong most of his writings. Two devotional treatises, the Contemplatio horae mortis and the Soliloquuum peccatoris, belong to 1386-1387. In 1389 he wrote his Songe du Vieil Pèlerin, an elaborate allegorical voyage in which he described the customs of Europe and the near East, and advocated peace with England and the pursuit of the Crusade. His Oratio tragedica, largely autobiographical, was written with similar aims. In 1395 he addressed to Richard II of England
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
an Epistre pressing his marriage with Isabella of Valois. The Crusade of 1396 inspired Philippe with no enthusiasm. The disaster of the Battle of Nicopolis
Battle of Nicopolis
The Battle of Nicopolis took place on 25 September 1396 and resulted in the rout of an allied army of Hungarian, Wallachian, French, Burgundian, German and assorted troops at the hands of an Ottoman force, raising of the siege of the Danubian fortress of Nicopolis and leading to the end of the...
on September 25, 1396 justified his fears and was the occasion of his last work, the Epistre lamentable el consolatoire, in which he put forward once more the principles of his order as a remedy against future disasters.
Some of his letters were printed in the Revue historique (vol. xlix.); the two épistres just mentioned in Kervyn de Lettenhove's edition of Froissart
Jean Froissart
Jean Froissart , often referred to in English as John Froissart, was one of the most important chroniclers of medieval France. For centuries, Froissart's Chronicles have been recognized as the chief expression of the chivalric revival of the 14th century Kingdom of England and France...
's Chroniques
Froissart's Chronicles
Froissart's Chronicles was written in French by Jean Froissart. It covers the years 1322 until 1400 and describes the conditions that created the Hundred Years' War and the first fifty years of the conflict...
(vols. xv. and xvi.). The Songe du vergier or Somnium viridarii, written about 1376, is sometimes attributed to him, but without definite proofs.