Jacques de Vitry

Jacques de Vitry (c. 1160/70 – 1240 or 1244) was a theologian chronicler and cardinal from 1228 – 40.

He was born in central France (perhaps Rheims) and studied at the University of Paris, becoming a regular canon in 1210 at the church of Saint-Nicolas d'Oignies in the Diocese of Liège, a post he maintained until 1216. From 1211 to 1213 he preached the Albigensian Crusade, touring France and Germany with William, archdeacon of Paris and recruiting many Crusaders. [Peter of les Vaux-de-Cernay, "Historia Albigensis" 285. It was perhaps during this preaching campaign that he met Bishop Foulques of Toulouse; cf. Guillaume de Puylaurens, "Chronica" 28.] He participated in the siege of Toulouse in 1214.Fact|date=February 2007 In 1216 he was named Bishop of Acre and was heavily involved in the Fifth Crusade, participating in the siege of Damietta from 1218 to 1220. In 1219 he began to write the "Historia Hierosolymitana", a history of the Holy Land from the advent of Islam until the crusades of his own day, but only two parts were completed. He returned to Europe in 1225. In 1228, after resigning the see of Acre, he became Cardinal Bishop of Tusculum (Frascati) and continued to preach against the Albigensians. Around 1239 he was named Patriarch of Jerusalem, but resigned shortly thereafter because Pope Gregory IX refused to confirm his election. He became Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals in January 1240 (or in September 1237). He died in Rome on May 1, 1240 or on April 30 1244.

Aside from the "Historia", his works include hundreds of sermons, and letters to Pope Honorius III. He also wrote about the immoral life of the students at the University of Paris and the holy life of the Beguines of Liege and, in particular, the Life of Marie d'Oignies.

Notes

Bibliography

*"Lettres de Jacques de Vitry" ed. R. B. C. Huygens. Leiden, 1960.
*"The exempla or illustrative stories from the Sermones Vulgares of Jacques de Vitry" ed. T. F. Crane. London, 1890.
* [http://www.fiu.edu/~mirandas/bios1228.htm The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church: consistory of December 1228]
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08266a.htm Biographical entry in The Catholic Encyclopedia]