BERARDI, GIOVANNI. - Cardinal, born at Corcannello (Aquila) into the noble family of the counts of the Marsi of Tagliacozzo, died at Rome on 21 January 1449. On 20 October 1421 he was appointed archbishop of Taranto by Martin V. Deeply devoted to the Holy See, he was sent by Eugene IV with other prelates as plenipotentiary to the Council of Basel to restore relations between the Pope and the Council. After long negotiations, B. and his companions were admitted to the general congregation of 22 August 1437, and on the following day, in a long speech and with solid arguments, he defended the papal primacy, justifying the earlier dissolution of the Council by Eugene IV (18 December 1431), since it belongs to the Pope not only to convoke but also to confirm general councils; he implored the fathers to accept the Pope's decision and to assemble in council in an Italian city (cf. Mansi, XXIX, coll. 482-92). The fathers did not yield (3 September 1432). The following year B., with other envoys, was charged with presiding provisionally over the Council (7 March 1433). This was an implicit recognition of the Council; the explicit one came on 15 December 1433. On the eve, the Pope had confirmed to B., to Cardinal Cesarini, to Pietro bishop of Padua and to Ludovico Barbo abbot of S. Giustina, the task of provisionally replacing the cardinals who were to preside over the Council. In reality, beginning with the XVII session (26 April 1434), B. and his colleagues were the true presidents of the Council. On 24 April 1434 they had sworn, in their own name and not in the Pope's, to recognize the superiority of the Council over the Pope. In compensation, B. continued to defend the rights of the Pope, as for example in the XXI session (9 June 1435) regarding the abolition of the annates and the other revenues of the Roman Curia. Subsequently (17 February 1436) Eugene IV charged him with pronouncing definitively on all conflicts relating to the possession of benefices. In 1437 B. came to Italy to speak with the Pope, and on returning to Basel he urged the transfer of the Council to Florence. Since the majority had instead chosen Avignon, B. deceitfully took possession of the conciliar seal and affixed it to the decree of the minority. He was arrested, but managed to escape and to bring the decree to Rome. The Council deprived him of every dignity; but the Pope annulled the sentence and named him cardinal of the title of Sts. Nereus and Achilleus (18 December 1439). Later he was legate at Naples to establish peace between Alfonso of Aragon and René of Anjou. He continued to govern the see of Taranto, until he passed to the bishopric of Palestrina (7 March 1444). He then became dean of the sacred college and major penitentiary. A partisan of the Orsini, he succeeded in eliminating the candidacy of Pompeo Colonna after the death of Eugene IV and in securing the prevail of that of Tommaso Parentucelli (Nicholas V).
Bibliography
Ireneo Daniele