The Council of Basel was a celebrated oecumenical council of the church convoked by Pope Martin V and his successor Eugenius IV. It was opened on the 14th of December 1431, under the presidency of the Cardinal Legate Juliano Cesarini of St Angelo. The objects of its deliberations were to extirpate heresies (that of the Hussites in particular), to unite all Christian nations under the Catholic church, to put a stop to wars between Christian princes, and to reform the church. But its first steps towards a peaceable reconciliation with the Hussites were displeasing to the pope, who authorized the cardinal legate to dissolve the council. That body opposed the pretensions of the pope, and, notwithstanding his repeated orders to remove to Italy, continued its deliberations under the protection of the emperor Sigismund, of the Overman princes, and of France. On the pope continuing to issue bulls for its dissolution the council commenced a formal process against him, and cited him to appear at its bar. On his refusal to comply with this demand the council declared him guilty of contumacy, and, after Eugenius had opened a counter-synod at Ferrara, decreed his suspension from the papal chair on January the 24th, 1438.
The removal of Eugenius, however, seemed so impracticable, that some prelates, who until then had been the boldest and most influential speakers in the council, including the Cardinal Legate Juliano, left Basel, and went over to the party of Eugenius. The Archbishop of Aries, Cardinal Louis Allemand, was now made first president of the council, and directed its proceedings with much vigour. In May, 1439, it declared Eugenius, on account of his disobedience of its decrees, a heretic, and formally deposed him. Excommunicated by Eugenius, they proceeded, in a regular conclave, to elect the dukeAmadeus of Savoy to the papal chair. Felix V - the name he adopted - was acknowledged by only a few princes, cities, and universities. After this the moral power of the council declined; its last formal session was held on May the 16th, 1443, though it was not technically dissolved until May the 7th, 1449, when it gave in its adhesion to Nicholas V, the successor of Eugenius. The decrees of the Council of Basel are admitted into none of the Roman collections, and are considered of no authority by the Roman lawyers. They are regarded, however, as of authority in points of canon law in France and Germany, as their regulations for the reformation of the church have been adopted in the pragmatic sanctions of both countries, and, as far as they regard clerical discipline, have been actually enforced. Research Council of Basel
The Italian order of Knights of the Annunciation, was instituted by Amadeus VI, duke of Savoy, in 1360. The king was always grand-master. The knights must be of high rank, and must already be members of the order of St Mauritius and St Lazarus. The decoration of the order consists of a golden shield suspended to a chain or collar of roses and knots, the letters F. E. R. T. being inscribed on the roses, and standing for Fortitudoejus Rhodum tenuit (its bravery held Rhodes). Research Knights of the Annunciation
After a preliminary' agreement in London in 1711, a congress met at Utrecht in January, 1712. Great Britain, France, Savoy, Portugal, the Emperor, Prussia, and the Dutch Republic were represented, and later Spain. In March and April, 1713, the main treaties were signed. Others followed, that between Spain and Portugal being delayed until 1715.
The crown of Spain, with its American possessions, was given to the French claimant, Philip V. It was stipulated, however, that the same person should never be king of both France and Spain. Philip's Austrian rival, the emperor Charles, was consoled with Naples, Milan, Sardinia, and the Spanish, henceforward called the Austrian, Netherlands. All these had been Spanish. Prussia was recognized as a kingdom, and received part of Gelder-land, while France promised to secure the title of king for the duke of Savoy, who received Sicily.
The Treaty of Utrecht was bitterly denounced in England by the Whigs, and four of those responsible for it were impeached. Research Treaty of Utrecht
The wild cabbage is a native of the coasts of Britain, but is much more common on other European shores. The kinds most cultivated are the common cabbage (Brassica oleracea), the savoy, the broccoli, and the cauliflower. The common cabbage forms its leaves into heads or bolls, the inner leaves being blanched. Its varieties are the white, the red or purple, the tree or cow cabbage for cattle (branching and growing when in flower to the height of three meters), and the very delicate Portugal cabbage. The garden sorts form valuable culinary vegetables, and are used at table in various ways. Research Cabbage
Charles Albert was King of Sardinia. He was born in 1798 and died in 1849. He was the son of Charles Emmanuel, prince of Savoy-Carignan. In 1831 he succeeded to the throne on the death of Charles Felix, but his government at first greatly disappointed the liberal party by its despotic tendencies. It was not until near 1848 that, seeing the growing strength of the progressive and national movement in Italy, he took up the position of its champion. As such he took the field against Austria on behalf of the Lombardo-Venetian provinces, but was crushingly defeated at Novara on the 23rd of March, 1849. He abdicated in favour of his son, Victor Emmanuel, and, retired to Portugal. Research Charles Albert
Charles de Gontaut, Duke of Biron, was a French noble. He was born about 1562 and died in 1602. He was a great favourite with Henry IV, who raised him to the rank of Admiral of France in 1592, and in 1598 made him a peer and duke. He was sent to England in 1601 to announce Henry's marriage with Mary de Medici, but about the same time he was found guilty of forming a treasonable plot with the Duke of Savoy, and executed 1602. Research Charles de Gontaut
Charles VI (Charles the Silly) was a king of France. He was born in 1368 at Paris and died in 1422. He was a son of Charles The Wise and succeeded to the throne at the age of twelve. His reign was plagued by fits on insanity and the country plagued by civil war between the Armagnacs and the Burgundians, making the country easy prey for the English under Henry V who crossed over to Normandy, took Harfleur by storm, won the famous victory of Agincourt, and compelled the crazy king to acknowledge him as his successor.
Charles VI was Emperor of Germany. He was born in 1685 and died in 1740. The second son of the Emperor Leopold I, he was destined by the rules of inheritance to succeed his relative Charles II on the throne of Spain, but Charles II by his will made the French Prince, the Duke of Anjour, his heir. This led to the War of the Spanish Succession in which England and Holland took the part of the Austrian claimant. He held Madrid for a while before conceding Spain to the French claim and content himself with the Spanish subject-lands, Milan, Mantua, Sardinia, and the Netherlands (sanctioned by the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 and the Treaty of Rastadt in 1714). He became Emperor of Germany in 1711.
In a war against the Turks his armies, led by Eugene of Savoy, gained the decisive victories of Peterwardein and Belgrade. After the death of his only son, Charles directed all his policy and energies to secure the guarantee of the various powers to the Pragmatic Sanction, settling the succession to the Austrian dominions on his daughter Maria Theresa. In 1733 a war with France and Spain regarding the succession in Poland terminated unfavourably for him, he having to surrender Sicily, Naples, and part of Milan to Spain, and Lorraine to France. In 1737 he renewed the war with the Turks, this time unsuccessfully. Research Charles VI
James Fitz-James Duke of Berwick was the natural son of the Duke of York (afterwards James II) and Arabella Churchill, sister of Marlborough. He was born in 16760 at Moulins, in the Bourbonnais and died in 1734. He first went by the name of Fitz-James. He received his education in France, served in the army in Hungary, returned to England at the age of seventeen, and received from his father the title of duke. On the landing of the Prince of Orange he went to France with his father, and he was wounded at the battle of the Boyne, where he nominally commanded. He afterwards served under Luxembourg in Flanders; in 1702 and 1703 under the Duke of Burgundy; then under Marshal Villeroi. In 1706 he was made marshal of France, and sent to Spain, where he gained the battle of Almanza, which rendered Philip V again master of Valencia. In 1709 he held with honour the command in Dauphine, displaying the highest strategic skill against the superior forces of the Duke of Savoy. He was killed at the siege of Philipsburg by a cannon-ball in 1734. Research Duke of Berwick
Felix Antoine Philibert was a French prelate. He was born in 1802 at St Felix, in Savoy and died in 1878. He became a French subject by naturalization in 1838. He was ordained in 1825, appointed professor of theology at the Sorbonne in 1841, and Bishop of Orleans in 1849. From that time he took a prominent part in all the political and religious discussions in France. He belonged to the Gallican party, but submitted to the decisions of the council of the Vatican; and was a strenuous advocate for free education. Research Felix Dupanloup
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Council of Basel
