Summary

Although Poggio was only in his early thirties, he had advanced to the prestigious position of secretary to the Pope. Poggio handled the Pope’s schedule and filtered the information and material delivered to the pontiff. He was also aware of secret plans and strategies that the Pope was contemplating. There were many political conflicts when Pope John XXIII assumed office. During the transition to the new Pope, Poggio still found time to copy manuscripts. Working with ancient material saddened him because it forced him to compare the glory of those old days with the current days of corruption and decline.

Cossa was elected Pope by the cardinals after Pope Alexander V died suddenly – some suspected that Alexander had been poisoned. The cardinals thought that Cossa with his unique personal skills could resolve the schism in the church created by two other church...