Ascellino (Asselino, Anselm)

ASCELLINO (ASSELINO, ANSELM). - Dominican, a native of Lombardy, known for the embassy to the Mongols entrusted to him by Innocent IV. The latter, after the Council of Lyon, wished to send two expeditions for the conversion of the Tartars: one of Franciscans, led by Giovanni di Pian de' Carpini, the other of Dominicans, under the guidance of A. After some time spent at Acre for better preparation, A., toward the end of 1246, set out with his companions, among whom were Andrew of Longjumeau and Guiscard of Cremona, men experienced in the country and in the customs and habits of its inhabitants; and after 59 days of travel he met with the Tartar general Batu, to whom he delivered the Pope's message. He did not, however, know how to conduct himself with the requisite prudence, for he refused to bend the knee before the general, as protocol demanded, and exaggeratedly extolled the power of the Holy See. This placed his life in danger. After a stay of nine weeks, during which the Pope's ambassadors had to endure hunger, thirst, hardships and insults at the hands of those still savage hordes, A. set out again, bearing an arrogant reply from the Tartar general to the Pontiff, in which he commanded him to submit to the Great Khan. A. reached Rome to give an account of his mission toward the autumn of 1248. It is not known whether he afterwards returned among the Tartars, as some would have it, and there suffered martyrdom, or whether he instead remained in Italy.

Celestino Testore