GIOVANNI da LEGNANO. - Jurist, born in Milan on an uncertain date and died in Bologna on 16 February 1383.
Professor of civil law from as early as 1350, and later of the Decretals, he carried out diplomatic missions of the highest importance on behalf of the city of Bologna to Gregory IX, so that he was subsequently appointed the Pope’s general vicar in that city. At the outbreak of the Western Schism, he upheld in his writings the legitimacy of the actions of Urban VI, who bestowed sovereign favours upon him for the
steadfastness with which he directed the polemic against the supporters, chiefly 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; as well as the treatises: De bello, De repressalis, De duello, De pace; the De fletu Ecclesiae and the very numerous Consilia.