Albergati, Niccolo

Albergati, Niccolo an Italian cardinal, was born at Bologna in 1375. At the age of twenty he entered the Order of Chartreux, and distinguished himself by his doctrines in favor of the absolute sovereignty of the pope. Martin V made him bishop of Bologna; then cardinal of St. Croix of Jerusalem; and sent him as apostolic nuncio to France in order to mediate between Charles VI and Henry V, king of England. He was several times expelled from his bishopric by the people of Bologna, and was obliged to take refuge in Rome. In 1431 Eugenius IV sent him to preside at the Council of Basle. Here he encountered strong opposition against his doctrines concerning the pope, and returned to Rome with his mission unaccomplished. In 1433 he went to Basle with three associate cardinals, who, with hin. governed the seventeenth session of the council. New dissensions arose, and Albergati obtained, in 1437, a bull from the pope transferring the council to Ferrara. This was the occasion of a new schism. The prelates who assembled at Ferrara, Jan. 10, 1438, declared null all that was done by those who remained at Basle. The Council of Ferrara was broken up by a pestilence, and nothing was decided concerning the union of the Church East and West. Albergati was appointed penitentiary; then treasurer of the pope; and died shortly after at Sienna, May 9,1443. Benedict XIV canonized him in 1745. See Rugger, Testimonia de Nic. Albergato (Rom. 1744); Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.