URBANO IV, PAPA. – By birth Giacomo Pantaleon, born at Troyes around 1200, died at Perugia on 2 October 1264.
In 1240 he was archdeacon at Liège; in 1247–49 papal legate in Silesia, Poland, and Prussia; in 1249 archdeacon at Laon; in 1253 bishop of Verdun; in 1255 patriarch of Jerusalem. After the death of Alessandro IV (1261), the cardinals gathered in conclave at Viterbo, but, because of their inability to reach a mutual understanding, they dispersed their votes so widely that they made it impossible to elect one of their own number, and directed their choice toward the patriarch of Jerusalem (29 August 1261), who was consecrated on 4 September. The elected pope, being unable to reside in Rome, which was too troubled by disturbances, stayed first at Viterbo, then at Orvieto, and finally ended his days at Perugia.
U. had the merit of settling the thorny question of the Kingdom of Sicily. Setting aside the candidacy of Corradino, son of Corrado, and that of Manfredi, the natural son of the emperor Federico II, he thought of offering the throne to a French prince. It was difficult to obtain the acceptance of King Luigi IX, and the negotiations were lengthy; they nevertheless ended in a definitive agreement (15 August 1264), according to which Carlo di Angiò would conquer the Kingdom within a year. Every precaution had been taken to ensure that the vassal of the Church would not scheme to obtain the empire, nor aspire to hegemony in Italy. U. also intervened in the conflicts of which England was the scene, and resolutely took the side of King Enrico III against the barons, who wished to impose conditions restricting his authority, known as the “Provisions of Oxford.” U. rejected them and gave his full support to the arbitral award pronounced at Amiens by s. Luigi (24 January 1264). His legate, Guido Fulcodi (the future Clemente IV), was sent to England to put an end to the disagreement between the King and his subjects; but he had to suffer a mortal affront, because he was forbidden passage through the Strait of Calais.
The papal policy pursued in the East particularly hindered the cause of union between the Greek and Latin Churches, because any agreement became impossible from the moment the Pope worked toward the restoration of the Latin Empire. In religious matters U. distinguished himself through the institution of the feast of Corpus Domini (v. 11 ag. 1264).