JOHN OF LEGNANO. - Jurist, b. in Milan on an uncertain date and d. in Bologna on 16 February 1383.

A professor of civil law from 1350 and later of the Decretals, he carried out first-rate diplomatic missions on behalf of the city of Bologna to Gregory IX, so that he was subsequently appointed vicar general of the Pontiff in that city. At the outbreak of the Western Schism, he upheld in his writings the legitimacy of the action of Urban VI, who showered him with sovereign favors for the constancy with which he directed the polemic against the supporters, especially the French, of the antipope Clement VII.

He dealt with politics, canon and civil law, moral philosophy, theology and the schism. His most important works are: Commentaria in Decretales; Commentaria in Clementinas; Commentaria in Decretum; furthermore the treatises: De bello, De repressalis, De duello, De pace; the De fletu Ecclesiae and the very numerous Consilia.

Bibliography2 works

BIBL.: F. von Schulte, Die Geschichte der Quellen und Literatur des canonischen Rechts, II, Stuttgart 1875, pp. 257-61; G. Ermini, I trattati della guerra e della pace di G. da L., Imola 1933, with a fine biographical synthesis and a critical list of the works of G. da L.

Cosimo Petino

@incollection{ec6_giovanni_da_legnano, author = {Petino, Cosimo}, title = {Giovanni da Legnano}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {VI}, pages = {567--568}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1951}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/giovanni-da-legnano} }

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John of Legnano

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