CONDULMER, FRANCESCO

CONDULMER, FRANCESCO. — Cardinal, nephew of EUGENIO IV, born in Venice. Created cardinal by his uncle on 19 Sept. 1431 and appointed Camerlengo, he wielded great influence at the papal court during the early years of the pontificate. He was taken prisoner by the Romans during the revolution of 1434; at the beginning of January 1440 he resigned the office of Camerlengo in favor of Ludovico Trevisan, Patriarch of Aquileia, and became Vice-Chancellor. In 1444 he was sent to Venice to arm ten ships and, together with others provided by the Pope, he sailed to the Dardanelles to prevent the Turks from transporting troops from Asia Minor to reinforce their army fighting in Europe against the Christians led by Cardinal Giuliano Cesarini, but he did not succeed in his mission. He took part in the election of NICHOLAS V (6 March 1447), who immediately sent him to Tivoli to meet King Alfonso of Naples. He died on 30 Oct. 1453; from 1443 he had been Bishop of Porto.