Jacques de Vitry

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Jacques de Vitry (c. 1160/80 – 1244) was a theologian and historian.

He was born near Paris and studied at the University of Paris, becoming a regular canon in 1210 at the church of Saint-Nicolas d'Oignies. From 1211 to 1213 he preached the Albigensian Crusade, touring France and Germany with William, archdeacon of Paris and recruiting many Crusaders. He participated in the siege of Toulouse in 1214. 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 at the death of Pelagio Galvani in 1240. He died in Rome probably on April 30 1244, although some sources indicate that he died in 1240.

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.

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.

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