The Compactata of Basel in Enea Silvio Piccolomini’s Letters, Speeches and Official Documents
The Compactata of Basel in Enea Silvio Piccolomini’s Letters, Speeches and Official Documents

Summary/Abstract: The famous Compacts of Basel, treaties between the Hussites and representatives of the Council of Basel in 1436, became an important feature of several late medieval Catholic writings, often aimed at Bohemian Utraquists. That can be easily demonstrated with the example of Enea Silvio Piccolomini’s crucial treatises and speeches from 1451, 1455, 1462, and 1464. This study provides a detailed analysis of these works with respect to Piccolomini’s perception of the Compacts. In the majority of the analysed works, Piccolomini appears to be rather critical of the Hussite Conciliar treaties, often complaining about alleged violations of the Compacts by the Utraquists. In one case, however, the Compacts are presented in a positive way as a document that ought to be confirmed by the Holy See. Despite obvious similarities to other Catholic authors, certain aspects of Piccolomini’s argumentation against or in support of the Compacts seem to be original.

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