Giovanni Francesco Commendone

How like in selfish lack of principle and conscience to his contemporary Maximilian II.

He and Commendone secured official recognition in Poland for the decrees of the Council of Trent.

At first, this was simply on paper.

In reality, perfect religious liberty still prevailed.

Here then, as we have already seen so often, and as we shall see again, the lamentable divisions between Lutherans and Calvinists crippled the progress of the Reformation, prevented its victory, and paved the way most effectively for the Catholic reaction.

The opposition of the Protestants to the candidature of Archduke Ernest was so universal and pronounced that the Catholics became convinced of the impossibility of his election.

They and Commendone, therefore, began to turn to a claimant for whom the French ambassador had long been actively at work, Henry of Anjou, brother of Charles IX of France.

It is true that the massacre of St. Bartholomew's Eve seemed to make him quite unacceptable by the Polish Protestants, but the Duke's friends so positively asserted that the massacre had had purely political causes, and the Duke himself declared so solemnly that he had taken no share at all in it, that the Protestants yielded at last on the condition that they should be allowed to enjoy full religious liberty and joined with the Catholics in electing Henry of Anjou to the throne of Poland on May the ninth, fifteen seventy-three.

In 1563, the year of the final closing of the Council of Trent, the Polish Diet renewed its request for an impartial Polish national synod, and the primate, the Archbishop of Gneisen, Uchanski, a favorer of the Reformation, was inclined to concede that demand.

But then came the shrewd Commendone as papal nuncio, and in private conversations depicted to the king the dangers that would arise from the meeting of a synod at which the most various and opposite sects would have a hearing.

It could lead to nothing short of general confusion.

He called his attention to the steadiness and uniformity that prevailed in the Catholic Church, to the principle of authority that controlled it.

To this end he needed the pope.

Hence his sudden return to Catholicism.

How like in selfish lack of principle and conscience to his contemporary Maximilian II! He and Commendone secured official recognition in Poland for the decrees of the Council of Trent.

At first this was simply on paper.

They began at once to work in their energetic yet prudent manner.

About this time, Cardinal Commendone returned to Poland under the pretext of urging on the war against the Turks, but really to participate in the forthcoming royal election.

He became the rallying center of the Catholics and directed their choice to a member of the orthodox house of Habsburg, Ernest, son of Maximilian II.

The Reformed, on their part, wished to place on the throne a native nobleman of their own faith, John Firlej, Grand Marshal of the Crown.

Here then, as we have already seen so often, and as we shall see again, the lamentable divisions between Lutherans and Calvinists crippled the progress of the Reformation, prevented its victory, and paved the way most effectively for the Catholic reaction.

The opposition of the Protestants to the candidature of Archduke Ernest was so universal and pronounced that the Catholics became convinced of the impossibility of his election.

They and Commendone, therefore, began to turn to a claimant for whom the French ambassador had long been actively at work.

Henry of Anjou, brother of Charles IX of France.

In 1563, the year of the final closing of the Council of Trent, the Polish diet renewed its request for an impartial Polish national synod, and the primate, the Archbishop of Gneisen, Uchański, a favorer of the reformation, was inclined to concede that demand.

But then came the shrewd Commendone as papal nuncio, and in private conversations depicted to the king the dangers that would arise from the meeting of a synod at which the most various and opposite sects would have a hearing.

It could lead to nothing short of general confusion.

He called his attention to the steadiness and uniformity that prevailed in the Catholic Church, to the principle of authority that controlled it.

Hence his sudden return to Catholicism.

How like in selfish lack of principle and conscience to his contemporary Maximilian II.

He and Commendone secured official recognition in Poland for the decrees of the Council of Trent.

At first this was simply on paper.

In 1563, the year of the final closing of the Council of Trent, the Polish diet renewed its request for an impartial Polish national synod, and the primate, the Archbishop of Gneisen, Uchański, a favorer of the reformation, was inclined to concede that demand.

But then came the shrewd Commendone as papal nuncio, and in private conversations depicted to the king the dangers that would arise from the meeting of a synod at which the most various and opposite sects would have a hearing.

It could lead to nothing short of general confusion.

He called his attention to the steadiness and uniformity that prevailed in the Catholic Church, to the principle of authority that controlled it.

Hence his sudden return to Catholicism.

How like in selfish lack of principle and conscience to his contemporary Maximilian II.

He and Commendone secured official recognition in Poland for the decrees of the Council of Trent.

At first this was simply on paper.

They began at once to work in their energetic yet prudent manner.

About this time, Cardinal Commendone returned to Poland under the pretext of urging on the war against the Turks, but really to participate in the forthcoming royal election.

He became the rallying centre of the Catholics and directed their choice to a member of the Orthodox House of Habsburg, Ernest, son of Maximilian II.

The Reformed, on their part, wished to place on the throne a native nobleman of their own faith, John Firley, Grand Marshal of the Crown.

Here then, as we have already seen so often, and as we shall see again, the lamentable divisions between Lutherans and Calvinists crippled the progress of the Reformation, prevented its victory, and paved the way most effectively for the Catholic reaction.

The opposition of the Protestants to the candidature of Archduke Ernest was so universal and pronounced that the Catholics became convinced of the impossibility of his election.

They and Commendone, therefore, began to turn to a claimant for whom the French ambassador had long been actively at work, Henry of Anjou, brother of Charles IX of France.

It is true that the massacre of St. Bartholomew's Eve seemed to make him quite unacceptable by the Polish Protestants, but the Duke's friends so positively asserted that the massacre had had purely political causes, and the Duke himself declared so solemnly that he had taken no share at all in it, that the Protestants yielded at last on the condition that they should be allowed to enjoy full religious liberty and joined with the Catholics in electing Henry of Anjou to the throne of Poland on May the 9th, 1573.

The opposition of the Protestants to the candidature of Archduke Ernest was so universal and pronounced that the Catholics became convinced of the impossibility of his election.

They and Commendone, therefore, began to turn to a claimant for whom the French ambassador had long been actively at work, Henry of Anjou, brother of Charles IX of France.

It is true that the massacre of St. Bartholomew's Eve seemed to make him quite unacceptable by the Polish Protestants, but the Duke's friends so positively asserted that the massacre had had purely political causes, and the Duke himself declared so solemnly that he had taken no share at all in it, that the Protestants yielded at last on the condition that they should be allowed to enjoy full religious liberty and joined with the Catholics in electing Henry of Anjou to the throne of Poland on May the 9th, 1573.

He reached his new kingdom early the following year.