MARIGNOLLI, GIOVANNI

Machine translation of the 1948–1954 Italian original. The original text is authoritative.

Franciscan, missionary, also known as Giovanni di S. Lorenzo, was born at the end of the 13th century in Florence. Called by the Pope to go to the land of Cathay, he left from Naples in 1339 and returned to Avignon 13 years later, having completed the long journey to Khanbalik (Peking) across the Gobi Desert, arriving there in 1342. He was well received by the Great Khan and stayed there for three or four years.

Departing again with a solemn escort provided by the Emperor, he visited a large part of Cathay and then took the sea route back to Europe, touching India, Africa, and the Holy Land. On 12 May 1354 he was elected bishop of Bisignano; but when news of him reached Emperor Charles IV of Bohemia, he was chosen by the Emperor as counsellor, chaplain, and chronicler. In 1356–57 he is found mediating peace between the Florentines and the Bolognese with the Malatesta. Later he took part in disputes between the Franciscans and the Primate of Ireland. He died before 22 March 1359. In 1898 a memorial tablet was erected to him in the church of Santa Croce in Florence.

As chronicler to Charles IV he wrote a *Chronicon Bohemorum*, from the origin of the world to his own times, in which he inserted at various points most interesting notices of his itinerary, topographical, ethnographic, and historical observations, which render it most valuable. Ancient authors also attribute to him various other works, which however have not been preserved.

Bibl.: Works: the extracts relating to his itinerary were published by A. Van de Wyngaert, in *Sinica Franciscana*, I, Quaracchi 1929, pp. 524–60; the *Chronicon* in its entirety was edited by I. Turler, *Kronika Marignolova*, in *Fontes rerum Bohemicarum*, III, Prague 1882, pp. 492–604. Studies: G. Golubovich, *Biblioteca bio-bibliografica della Terra Santa e dell’Oriente francescano*, IV, Quaracchi 1923, pp. 271–96; A. Van de Wyngaert, *Sinica Franciscana*, I, 1929, pp. 513–23 (*Prologemoni* to the edition of the texts).

MARILLEY, ÉTIENNE

Prelate, born 29 Oct 1804 at Châtel-St-Denis (diocese of Lausanne), died 17 Jan 1889. Ordained priest in 1831, in 1835 director of the diocesan seminary of Geneva, he was named in 1843 archpriest of Geneva. His nomination was not approved by the cantonal government. Expelled from the canton in 1844, he settled at Fribourg, where in the following year he became coadjutor to Msgr. Jenni, titular of that diocese.

At Jenni’s death in Jan 1846 he became bishop of Geneva-Lausanne with his see at Fribourg. In 1848 a violent conflict arose between M. and the five cantons (Fribourg, Geneva, Vaud, Bern, Neuchâtel) over which his jurisdiction extended. The bishop, opposing the *placet* and the required oath to the civil authorities, was arrested, imprisoned, and deposed by the cantonal authorities. Having taken refuge at Divonne, he returned to Fribourg in 1856. Promoter of meetings of Swiss bishops, he resigned the government of his see in 1879. In 1883 Leo XIII named him titular archbishop of Myra.

Bibl.: G. Corpataux, s. V. in *Dictionnaire historique et biographique de la Suisse*, IV, pp. 665–66 (with bibliography); J. Schmidlin, *Papstgeschichte der neuesten Zeit*, II, Munich 1934, p. 191.