Oration “Britones hodie” of Pope Pius II (26 November 1459, Mantua). Edited and translated by Michael von Cotta-Schönberg. 5th version. (Orations of Enea Silvio Piccolomini / Pope Pius; 50)

Published as part of project Edition and Translation of the Orations of Enea Silvio Piccolomini / Pope Pius IIIn autumn 1459, Duke Francois II of Bretagne sent an embassy to the Congress of Mantua. The object of the embassy was to present the duke’s declaration of obedience to the pope and to represent him in the negotiations concerning the crusade against the Turks. The pope replied to the address of the ambassadors with the short oration “Britones hodie”, in which he gave a resumé of the history of the Bretons, and thanked the duke for his declaration of obedience and for the contribution to the crusade promised by him