Peter of Capua the Elder
He served as cardinal-deacon of Santa Maria in Via Lata from 1193 until 1201 and cardinal-priest of San Marcello al Corso from 1201 until his death.
His earliest known ancestor was Lando de Prata, a relative of the last independent duke of Amalfi, Marinus Sebastus (r. 1097–1100).
His mother's name is unknown, but she belonged to the Vulcano family of Sorrento, whom Peter referred to in 1208 as his "cousins".
[1] Peter had a reputation as a brilliant scholar and preacher when Celestine III named him cardinal-deacon of Santa Maria in Via Lata in the consistory of 20 February 1193.
His charge was to ensure that the Emperor Henry VI, the new king of Sicily, adhered to the agreement with the church made by his predecessor, Tancred.
He confirmed with his seal and signature the privilege issued by Bishop Jindřich to the monastery of Teplá founded by Count Hroznata.
He confirmed the act of Bishop Żyrosław II of Wrocław giving the monastery of Saint Vincent to the Premonstratensians.
[1] While returning to Rome late in 1197, Peter was attacked and robbed by men of Marquis Guglielmo Pallavicino [it] and Piacenza.
When the consuls of Piacenza refused to compensate him, Pope Innocent III, who had succeeded Celestine, threatened the city with ecclesiastical penalties.
His primary mission was the preach the Fourth Crusade, but preparatory to that he was to arrange a peace or at least a five-year-truce between the warring kings Philip II of France and Richard I of England.
According to the Histoire de Guillaume le Maréchal, the English found Peter's appearance and obsequious style of diplomacy repellent.
[1] Richard soon accused Philip of building a castle in violation of the truce, and Peter ordered the French king to demolish it.
The assembled bishops promised one thirtieth of their revenues for the crusade and threatened put France under the interdict if Philip did not return to his lawful wife.
Peter was sent to Venice, where the crusaders were gathering, in order to prevent the Venetians from using the army to attack Zara.
He denied the requests of Abbot Martin of Pairis and Bishop Conrad of Halberstadt to be absolved of their vows.
With a small group that included Bishop Sicard of Cremona and Abbot Martin of Pairis, he traveled to the Holy Land by ship from Siponto to Acre.
[1] In Acre, following on the work of Soffredo, Peter used his legatine authority to mediate peace between the feuding Pisan and Genoese communities.
King Leo I of Armenia and the Patriarch John VI accused Peter to Innocent III of being a tool of the Templars and Hospitallers.
Innocent III later reprimanded them, because they had no permission and their departure convinced many other crusaders who had gone to the Holy Land to leave as well, denuding its defences.
In May 1205, Innocent appointed a legate for the Empire of Constantinople, Benedict, and ordered Peter to return to the Holy Land.
[1] Following the death of Baldwin I (April 1205), Peter took a leading role in opposing Venetian dominance in the empire.
During his brief second stay, he excommunicated and suspended Patriarch Peter of Antioch for interfering with his provision of Antiochen benefices.
[1] Saint Andrew he brought to Amalfi, where the body was received in a solemn procession on 8 May 1208 in the presence of Peter and Archbishop Matteo Costantini.
[1][3] In 1208, he divided the income from pilgrims coming to see Saint Andrew between the cathedral and a hospital he founded for the poor, Santa Maria della Misericordia.
He endowed it with property in Eboli and with the chapel of San Pietro al Corto, given to him by King Frederick of Sicily.
In March, Frederick met him in Rome and promised to give the church a share of the income of the bailiffate of Tropea.
[3] He died in Viterbo, where the Roman curia was staying, on 30 August 1214 and was buried in the church of Santa Maria in Ara Coeli.
