Andrea Sapiti: His Origins, and His Register as a Curial Proctor

The article concerns the register of Andrea Sapiti, who was the proctor of Edward II and Edward III at the papal curia during the first four decades of the fourteenth century and had among his clients a number of English prelates and royal officials. Andrea Sapiti was a Florentine notary who moved to Avignon in the early fourteenth century, soon becoming the main advisor of Walter Reynolds, archbishop of Canterbury. His career was unique and favoured his family, which managed to establish connections in England, France, Italy and Ireland. The register of Sapiti sheds new light on the system of petitioning the papal curia at the time. The article analyses two case studies, which provide new evidence on communication between English and papal administrative systems and indicates interesting issues concerning the papal policy on benefices in England and more generally Anglo-papal relations on the eve of the Hundred Years’ War. The register of Andrea Sapiti is matched with documents produced by the apostolic chancery and chamber, the English royal chancery as well as episcopal and local records. Three documents, which are analysed in detail in the article, are edited in two appendices.