Oration “Si sacrosancto” of Pope Pius II (March 1459, Siena). Edited and translated by Michael von Cotta-Schönberg. 5th version (Orations of Enea Silvio Piccolomini / Pope Pius II; 38)

Published as part of project Edition and Translation of the Orations of Enea Silvio Piccolomini / Pope Pius IIDuring a prolonged stay in Siena in the spring of 1459, Pope Pius II received a number of embassies from the rulers of Europe declaring obedience to the Apostolic See and to the new pope. One of the embassies was from four German princes: Friedrich I, Count Palatine; Friedrich II, Margrave and Elector of Brandenburg; Albrecht VI, Archduke of Austria; and Albrecht Achilles, Margrave (Brandenburg). In his short reply to the oration of the ambassadors, the pope mostly spoke about papal supremacy and the legitimacy of papal elections, and afterwards he accepted the dukes’ obedience, praised them, expressed his gratitude for their offers of aid to the crusade against the Turks, and assured them of his goodwill