The Life and Work of the Abbot and Nuncio, Girolamo Martinengo in Hungary

Abstract

On the 17th December 1551 the mercenaries of Ferdinand I murdered one of the most influential politicians of the Kingdom of Hungary, Cardinal George Martinuzzi, the Archbishop of Esztergom and the Voivode of Transylvania in the castle of Alvinc. This action created a huge scandal not only in Hungary but throughout the whole Christendom, leading to one of the most acute crises in the Habsburg-papal relations. According to canon law, those who were responsible for the crime became automatically excommunicated (only King Ferdinand I was dispensed temporarily by Julius III), and a long investigation began. The inquiry was led by Count Abbot Girolamo Martinengo, the nuncio to Ferdinand. In this papér, I aim to discuss thé significancé and importancé of Martinuzzi’s figure in contemporary papal diplomacy. Among other elements, the followings will be elucidated: his origins and youth, his work as a nuncio in Poland, England and to Ferdinand I, and his activity in the Papal Curia.