View source for Pope Pius II

=== Bishop ===
He was ordained a priest in Vienna on 4 March 1446.<ref>Ady, p. 100. Wolkan (1909), [https://books.google.com/books?id=kRE3AQAAMAAJ&pg=frontcover ''Der Briefwechsel des Eneas Silvius Piccolomini.''], p. xxv. J.N.D. Kelly and M.J. Walsh, ''Oxford Dictionary of Popes'', second edition (OUP 2010), p. 249.</ref>

Pope Eugenius died on 23 February 1447, and the conclave to choose his successor lasted from 4 to 6 March 1447. Aeneas Sylvius was one of the four ambassadors chosen to be the guardians of the conclave.<ref>Ludwig Pastor, [https://books.google.com/books?id=gLX4JzQKpY4C&pg=PA6 ''History of the Popes: From the Close of the Middle Ages''], Volume 2 (St. Louis: Herder, 1902), p. 6.</ref> The new pope, Tommaso Parentucelli, chose the name [[Nicholas V]],<ref>J.N.D. Kelly and M.J. Walsh, ''Oxford Dictionary of Popes'', pp. 246-248.</ref> and immediately confirmed Aeneas in his posts of papal subdeacon and secretary, and appointed him to carry the papal cross at his coronation.<ref>Gragg, p. 44. Pius II, ''Commentarii'' (1614), p. 14: "Is ut ædes sancti Petri primum ascendit, Ænea ad se accersito secretariatum ei subdiaconatumque confirmauit, atque in die coronationis ante se Crucem deferendam commisit."</ref> One of the first acts of [[Pope Nicholas V|Pope Nicholas]] was to appoint Aeneas [[Bishop of Trieste]] on 17 April 1447.<ref>{{cite book |author=Conradus Eubel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NYW76iTwFcMC&pg=PA247 |title=Hierarchia catholica |date=1914 |publisher=Libreria Regensbergiana |edition=second |volume=2 (Tomus II) |location=Münster |language=la}}, p. 247.</ref>

On 13 August 1447, at Cologne, Bishop Aeneas wrote the first ''Epistola retractationis, ad Magistr. Jordanum''.<ref>Gregorovius, [https://books.google.com/books?id=P1MZAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA165 ''History of the City of Rome in the Middle Ages'']. Volume 7, Part 1, p. 165, note 3. Fea, [https://books.google.com/books?id=l-HjYkc_ZtsC&pg=PR1 ''Pius II. Pont. Max. a calumniis vindicatus ternis retractationibus eius quibus dicta et scripta pro concilio Basileensi contra Eugenium PP. IV. eiuravit.''], p. 1.</ref>

[[File:Cappella Piccolomini sposa Eleonora (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|Enea Silvio Piccolomini presents Emperor Frederick III with his bride-to-be Eleanore of Portugal; fresco by [[Pinturicchio]] in the Piccolomini library in [[Siena Cathedral]]]]
Pope Nicholas transferred him to the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Siena–Colle di Val d'Elsa–Montalcino|diocese of Siena]] on 23 September 1450.<ref>{{cite book |author=Eubel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NYW76iTwFcMC&pg=PA235 |title=Hierarchia catholica |date=21 March 2024 |volume=2}}, p. 235.</ref>

In 1450, Aeneas was sent as ambassador by Emperor Frederick III to negotiate his marriage with Princess [[Eleanor of Portugal, Holy Roman Empress|Eleonore of Portugal]]. In 1451, he undertook a mission to [[Bohemia]] and concluded a satisfactory arrangement with the [[Hussite]] leader [[George of Poděbrady]]. In 1452 he accompanied Frederick to Rome, where Frederick wedded Eleanor and was crowned emperor by the pope. At the coronation, speaking in the name of the emperor, Aeneas repudiated the conciliar theory, holding that the pope and his cardinals were the best council.<ref>Pastor, [https://books.google.com/books?id=gLX4JzQKpY4C&pg=PA50 ''History of the Popes: From the Close of the Middle Ages''] II, p. 50.</ref>

Bishop Aeneas Sylvius was a delegate of Frederick III at the Diet of Ratisbon in February 1454.<ref>Pastor, [https://books.google.com/books?id=gLX4JzQKpY4C&pg=PA300 ''History of the Popes: From the Close of the Middle Ages''] II, pp. 300-304.</ref>

In August 1455, Aeneas again travelled to Rome on an embassy which included Johann Hinderbach to proffer the obedience of Germany to the new pope, [[Pope Calixtus III|Calixtus III]]. The ceremony took place on 12 August in a public consistory. As instructed, the envoys pressed the pope for a war against the Turks, which pleased Calixtus, who was of the same mind.<ref>Gragg, [https://books.google.com/books?id=0vTSAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA77 ''The Commentaries of Pius II.''], pp. 77-79. Pius II, "Oratio Calixtum papam offerendo oboedientiam Imperatoris," [https://books.google.com/books?id=3E3DX4az26sC&pg=PA923 ''Opera quae extant omnia''], pp. 923-928, Pastor II, pp. 342-343.</ref> He brought strong recommendations from Frederick and [[Ladislaus the Posthumous|Ladislaus V of Hungary]] (also King of Bohemia) for the nomination of Aeneas to the cardinalate, but delays arose from the Pope's resolution to promote his own nephews first, which he did on 17 September 1456.<ref>Eubel II, p. 12, nos. 1, 2, 3.</ref>

Finally, on 17 December 1456, he was named a cardinal, and next day he was assigned the [[titular church]] of [[Santa Sabina]] on the Aventine.<ref>{{cite book |author=Eubel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NYW76iTwFcMC&pg=PA12 |title=Hierarchia catholica |date=21 March 2024 |volume=2}}, p. 12.</ref> He was allowed to keep the diocese of Siena. He also acquired the bishopric of [[Warmia]] (Ermel and, Prussia; now in Poland) on 12 August 1457.<ref>{{cite book |author=Eubel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NYW76iTwFcMC&pg=PA262 |title=Hierarchia catholica |date=21 March 2024 |volume=2}}, p. 262.</ref>