[hprints-00683151, v2] Enea Silvio Piccolomini (Pius II ... - Hprints.org

hprints-00683151, version 2 - 19 Mar 2013
[21] For great is the realm of the Turks 277 , immense is the power of the Asiatics and
enormous their riches. They have extended their empire from Asia 278 to Europe 279 ,
and they have occupied the whole of Greece as if they were the avengers of the
destruction of Troy. To expel them from Greece would not be the task of a single
city or state, but of the entire Christian world 280 . By necessity, it is not force, but
favour that will give us the Greeks. The Turks tolerate that the Argolians 281 have
whatever religious beliefs they want. Therefore, they will allow them go to the
council in a matter of their faith, but only if they do not suspect any deception or
intrigues 282 . In order to allay their suspicions, the Greeks ask for the cities of the
duke whom they think will in no way be suspect to the Turks. I do not deny that the
Constantinopolitans would be able to come against the will of the Turks, but we
must also take into account the other people 283 who are subjects of the Turk, and
whom the patriarch 284 wants to bring with him. In conclusion, as regards the Greeks
Pavia is a most appropriate choice.
277
I.e. the Ottoman Turks whose rulers eventually conquered the entire Byzantine empire and a large part of the
Mediterranean world and became a serious threat to Europe
278
i.e. Asia Minor
279
Note the use of the term “Europe” as a geopolitical term
280
This passage is an early expression of what would be a lifelong and major concern of Piccolomini/Pius: the war and
crusade against the Turks to save Europe and Christianity
281
i.e. the Greeks
282
This view is completely naïve: the Constantinopolitans wanted Church Union with the Latins not for theological
reasons, but in order to obtain financial and military help in the losing battle against Turkish expansion. The Turks
would have been aware of this fact, so it is quite surprising that they eventually allowed the Greeks under their
control to accompany the emperor and the patriarch to the council
283
Greek theologians and bishops from those areas outside of Constantinople that had already been conquered by the
Turks
284 Joseph II (b. 1360, p. 1416, d.1439): Patriarch of Constantinople
69