Pelagio Galvani

Who was Pelagio Galvani?

Pelagio Galvani was a Leonese Cardinal, and canon lawyer. He became a papal legate and leader of the Fifth Crusade.

His early life is little known. It is repeatedly claimed that he entered the Order of Benedictines but this is not proven. Pope Innocent III created him Cardinal-Deacon of S. Lucia in Septisolio around 1206. Later, he was promoted to the rank of Cardinal-Priest of S. Cecilia, and finally opted for the suburbicarian see of Albano in the spring of 1213. He subscribed the papal bulls between May 4, 1207 and January 26, 1230. He was sent on a diplomatic mission to Constantinople in 1213. During this two-year mission he attempted to close Orthodox churches and imprison the clergy, but this caused such domestic upset that Henry of Flanders, the Latin Emperor, reversed his actions which had caused the "tempest which held the city of Constantine in its grip", as noted a contemporary historian. Three years later he was elected Latin Patriarch of Antioch but his election was not ratified by the Holy See. Dispatched by Pope Honorius III to lead the Fifth Crusade at Damietta in Egypt, he made a poor strategic decision in turning down peace offers made by Al-Kamil. He became dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals at the election to the papacy of Cardinal Ugolino Conti on March 19, 1227. He was one of the leader of the papal army in 1229/30 during the struggle with the Emperor Frederick II. He died at Montecassino and was buried there.