OpenLLM-France/wikimedia huggingface dataset:
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Atto of Vercelli

From volume 2 of the work.
A learned theologian and canonist of the tenth century, son of the Viscount Aldegarius and Bishop of Vercelli (924-961). In 933 he became Grand Chancellor of Lothaire II, King of France, and obtained from the royal gratitude donations and privileges for his see of Vercelli (Ughelli, ltalia Sacra IV, 769). Several of his writings were first published by the Benedictine D'Achery (1655-77) in his "Spicilegium" VIII, 1-137; 2d ed., 1723, I, 401-442, e.g. "Epistolae, Libellus de pressuris ecclesiasticis", and "Canones rursus statutaque Vercellensis ecclesiae". A complete edition was executed by Baronzo del Signore, in two folio volumes (Vercelli, 1768, P.L. CXXXIV, 27-834), inclusive of his lengthy commentary on the Epistles of St. Paul. In 1832 Cardinal Mai published eighteen sermons of Atto, and his curious "Polypticum", or "Perpendiculum", an abridgment of moral philosophy, "written in a mysterious and enigmatic way". In his history of early medieval literature Ebert transfers to some Spaniard the authorship of this work, but Hauck defends the traditional view (Realencyk. f. prot. Theol., II, 214). His "Canones" are in great part a compilation of either ecclesiastical legislation, including the false Decretals. They contain, also, certain provisions of his own and are of value for the study of contemporary ecclesiastical life and manners in Northern Italy. He is sometimes known as Atto II; an earlier homonymous bishop of Vercelli flourished about middle of eighth century.
THOMAS J. SHAHAN
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Aubert Miraeus

From volume 10 of the work.
(Also called Aubert le Mire).
Ecclesiastical historian, born at Brussels, 30 Nov., 1573; died at Antwerp, 19 October, 1640. After studying at Douai and Louvain he was made canon of the cathedral of Antwerp in 1608 and secretary to his uncle, John Miraeus, who was then Bishop of Antwerp. In 1611 he was appointed almoner and librarian to Archduke Albert of Austria then viceroy of the Netherlands, and in 1624 he became dean of the cathedral of Antwerp and vicar general of the diocese. He was an indefatigable historical writer, as is attested by the thirty-nine works on profane, ecclesiastical, and monastic history which he has given to the world. On the whole he is a reliable historian, though some of his works are wanting in thoroughness and accuracy.
His chief literary productions are:
He had previously published in separate volumes the beginnings of the Benedictines (Antwerp, 1608), of the Carthusians (Cologne 1609), of the Military Orders (Antwerp, 1609), of the Carmelites (Antwerp, 1610), of the Augustinians, in French (Antwerp, 1611), of the Canons Regular (Cologne, 1614), of the Sisters of the Annunciation (Antwerp, 1618). Some of his letters were published by Burbure in "Messager des Sciences Historiques de Belgique" (1859)
MICHAEL OTT
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Atto of Pistoia

From volume 2 of the work.
Born at Badajoz in Spain, 1070; died 22 May, 1155. He became Abbot of Vallombrosa, (Tuscany) in 1105, and in 1135 was made Bishop of Pistoia. He wrote lives of St. John Gualhert and St. Bernard of Vallombrosa, bishop of Parrna. In 1145 he transferred to Pistoia certain relics of St. James of Compostella. His correspondence on that occasion is found in Ughelli, "Italia sacra", VII, 296.
THOMAS J. SHAHAN
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Aubrey Beardsley

From volume 2 of the work.
English artist, born at Brighton, 1872; died at Mentone, France, 16 March, 1898. It has been cleverly said that Beardsley was "a boy who never grew up", and the statement has a considerable amount of truth in it. He was a wonderfully precocious boy all his life, with the frank merriment, enthusiasm, and exuberance of a lad. He was unable to withstand the desire to do clever, mischievous things and to shock people of narrow opinions, and his ignoble and vicious works were more the result of his Puck-like mischief and eccentricity of habit than of any evil disposition. His earliest published work was a programme for an entertainment in 1888 at Brighton Grammar School, where he was a pupil, and his next in the "Bee Magazine", Blackburn, 1891.
Young Beardsley commenced work as a clerk in the Guardian Fire Office, but at the earnest persuasions of Aymer Vallance and Pennell he entered Fred Brown's studio at Westminster and devoted his attention to illustration. While still a lad he attracted the attention of Sir E. Byrne-Jones and Puvis de Chavannes, and it said much for his genius that it received encouragement from men so different in their aims and practice. When nineteen he accepted the tremendous task of illustrating the "Morte D'Arthur", and carried it through. The famous article upon him in the "Studio" appeared in April, 1893, and from that moment his work was in great demand. In April, 1894, he became art editor of the "Yellow Book", the first numbers of which caused a great sensation. He was responsible for the first four volumes and then, with Arthur Symons, started the "Savoy", to which he contributed a series of drawings. During his short life he carried the art of black and white further than any man since Albrecht Dürer. His special qualities were described by Hammerton as of "extreme economy of means, the perfection of discipline, of self-control, and of thoughtful deliberation at the very moment of invention".
Beardsley had a marvellous knowledge of the quality of line, a real and powerful sense of beauty, coupled with a constant desire to be quaint, fanciful, or bizarre. He possessed a vigour, inventiveness, and daintiness almost unapproachable in the work of any other man. Hammerton speaks of the "serene surety of his drawing", of his "superb sense of style"' but Beardsley's love of mischief, which he deeply regretted, led him into serious faults and caused him to be often misunderstood. By those who knew him he was regarded as the most original, brilliant, witty, and lovable man they ever met. His illustrations of "Salome", "The Rape of the Lock", "Mademoiselle de Maupin" and "Volpone" are amongst his greatest works. From boyhood he had bad health and suffered from frequent attacks of haemorrhage. He was always a man of deep religious feeling and became a Catholic at the close of his life (31 March, 1895).
GEORGE CHARLES WILLIAMSON
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Attuda

From volume 2 of the work.
A titular see of Phrygia in Asia Minor whose episcopal list (431-879) is given in Gams (446).
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Abner

From volume 1 of the work.
​Abner, a son of Ner, a cousin of Savil, and commander-in-chief of Saul's army (I K. xiv, 50; xvii, 55; xxvi, 5, 7, 14). After Saul with three of his sons had fallen at Mount Gelboe, Abner made Isboseth, the fourth son of Saul, king over the whole land of Israel excepting Judea, which adhered to David. For seven years and a half Abner fought for the throne of Isboseth. After his defeat near Gabaon, he was hotly pursued by Asael, brother of Joab, who was David's commander-in-chief, and in self-defence he reluctantly slew his enemy (II K. ii, 12 sq.). This embittered the hostility between the two factions, since Joab considered himself the avenger of his brother Asael. Abner now married Respha, a concubine of Saul, and thus incurred the suspicion of aspiring to the throne. Isboseth remonstrated with the warrior, and the latter became so angry that he made advances to David. David demanded that Abner should first restore to him his wife Michol, daughter of Saul, who had been given to Phaltiel. Abner complied with this condition, and came to a full understanding with David. After his departure Joab, David's commander-inchief, sent for him, and killed him at the city gate. David bewailed Abner, made Joab walk in ​mourning-garb before Abner's bier, and on his death-bed enjoined on Solomon to avenge Abner's murder.
Palis in Vig., Dict. de la Bible, s. v.
A. J. Maas.
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Abila

From volume 1 of the work.
​Abila, a titular see of Phœnicia, in the region of Mt. Libanus, now Suk Wady Barada, near Damascus, and the capital and stronghold of Abilina (Luke, iii, 1).
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Abo

From volume 1 of the work.
Abo, Ancient See of. See Finland, Grand Duchy of.
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Abenakis

From volume 1 of the work.
​Abenakis.—A confederation of Algonquin tribes, comprising the Penobscots, Passamaquoddies, Norridgewocks, and others, formerly occupying what is now Maine, and southern New Brunswick. Their territory joined that of the Micmacs on the northeast, and that of the Penobscots on the southwest. Their speech is a dialect of the Micmac language of the North American Indians. They took sides with the French and maintained an increasing hostility against encroachments of the English. When their principal town, Norridgewock, was taken, and their missionary, Rasle, was killed (1724), the greater part of them removed to St. Francis, in the province of Quebec, Canada, whither other refugees from the New England tribes had preceded them. They are now represented by the Amalecites on the St. John River, New Brunswick, and Quebec (820); the Passamaquoddies, on the Bay of that name, in Maine (300); the Penobscots, at Oldtown, Maine (400), and the Abnakis at St. Francis and Becancourt, Quebec (430). There are a dozen variations of the name Abenakis, such as Abenaquiois, Abakivis, Quabenakionek, Wabenakies, etc. They are described in the "Jesuit Relations" as not cannibals, and as docile, ingenious, temperate in the use of liquor, and not profane. Their language has been preserved in the monumental dictionary of Sebastian Rasle. After the unsuccessful attempt of de la Saussaye, in 1613, to plant a colony as Mount Desert, where the Jesuit Fathers Biard, Masse, and Quentin proposed to evangelize the Indians, the Capuchins and the Recollects, aided by secular priests from the seminary of Quebec, undertook the work, but met with indifferent success. Abenakis Mission Chapel, Point Pleasant, Maine, U.S.A.The Jesuit Druillettes was sent to them in 1646, but remained only a short time. Subsequently other missionaries like Bigot, Thury, and de la Chasse laboured among them, but three years after the murder of Father Rasle, that is to say in 1727, when Fathers Syvesme and Lauverjat withdrew, there was no resident pastor in Maine, though the Indians were visited by priests from time to time. They remained unalterably attached to the Faith, and during the Revolution, when Washington sent to ask them to join with the colonies against England, they assented on condition that a Catholic priest should be sent to them. Some of the chaplains of the French fleet communicated with them, promising to comply with their request, but beyond that nothing was done. At the present time there are Indian missions for the remnants of the tribe at Calais, Eastport, and Old Town.
Jesuit Relations, passim; Shea, Catholic Church in Colonial Days, 1521–1763 (New York, 1886); Maurault, Hist. des Abénakis depuis 1605 à nos jours (Quebec, 1866).
T. J. Campbell.
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Abiathar

From volume 1 of the work.
​Abiathar (Hebrew 'ebhyāthār, Father of plenty, or, the great one is father), descendant of Achimelech, Achitob, Phinees, Heli, Ithamar, Aaron, a high priest who escaped from the slaughter at Nob, went to David in his banishment (I K., xxii, 20–23; xxiii, 6) and assisted him with his advice (I K., xxiii, 9–14; xxx, 7). Together with the high priest Sadoc, he assisted at the transportation of the ark to Jerusalem (I Par., xv, 11, 12), and tried to follow David in his flight (II K., xv, 24), but instead aided him by counsel (II K., xv, 29–36; xvii, 15 sq.; xix, 11; I Par., xxvii, 34). He favoured Adonias (III K., i, 7, 19, 25, 42), and was banished by Solomon to Anathoth (III K., ii, 22–27), thus completing the ruin of the house of Ithamar (I K., ii, 30–36; iii, 10-14). As to II K., viii, 17, see Commentaries.
Hagen, Lexicon Biblicum (Paris, 1905); Renard in Vig., Dict. de la Bible (Paris, 1895); White in Hast., Dict. of the Bible (New York, 1903).
A. J. Maas.
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Abisai

From volume 1 of the work.
​Abisai, 'ăbhîshay, 'ábhshay; Sept. Ἀβεσσά, Ἀβισαί, son of David's sister Sarvia, and brother of Joab, a most valiant warrior (II K., xxiii, 18, 19; I Par., xi, 20, 21), and a faithful friend of David in his struggles against Saul (I K., xxvi, 6–9; II K., ii, 24; iii. 30), against the Ammonites, Syrians, and Edomites (II K., viii, 13; x, 9–14; I Par., xviii, 12; xix, 11–15), against Absalom (II K., xvi, 9, 10; xix, 21, 22; xviii, 2), Seba (II K., xx, 6), and the Philistines (II K., xxi, 15–17).
Hagen, Lexicon Biblicum (Paris, 1905); Pallis in Vig., Dict. de la Bible (Paris, 1895); White in Hast., Dict. of the Bible (New York, 1903).
A. J. Maas.
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Buenaventura Sitjar

From volume 14 of the work.
Born at Porrera, Island of Majorca, 9 December, 1739; died at San Antonio, Cal., 3 Sept., 1808. In April, 1758, he received the habit of St. Francis. After his ordination he joined the College of San Fernando, Mexico. In 1770 he was assigned to California, arriving at San Diego, 21 May, 1771. He was present at the founding of the Mission of San Antonio, and was appointed first missionary by Father Junipero Serra. He toiled there until his death, up to which time 3400 Indians had been baptized. Father Sitjar mastered the Telame Language, spoken at the Mission of San Antonio, and compiled a vocabulary with Spanish explanations, published at New York in 1861. Though the list of words is not as long as Arroyo de la Cuesta's dictionary of 2884 words and sentences in the Mutsun idiom of Mission San Juan Bautista, Sitjar's gives the pronunciation and fuller explanations. He also left a journal of exploring expedition which he accompanied in 1795. His body was interred in the sanctuary of the church.
Archives of Mission of Santa Barbara; Records of Mission San Antonio; SITJAR, Vocabulary, in SHEA'S Library of American Linguistics (New York, 1861); ENGELHARDT, The Franciscans in California (Harbor Springs, 1897); BANCROFT, California, II (San Fancisco, 1886).
Zephyrin Engelhardt.
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Bulla Aurea

From volume 3 of the work.
(Golden Bull).
A fundamental law of the Holy Roman Empire; probably the best known of all the many ordinances of the imperial diet. It takes its name from the golden case in which the seal attached to the document proclaiming the decree was placed.
The law was signed by the Emperor Charles IV, January, 1356, during the Diet of Nuremberg, and was revised at the Diet of Metz in November of the same year. The contents of the Bulla Aurea were of constitutional importance for the empire. It ordained that each emperor should be chosen by election, the right of voting being vested in electoral princes, the number of whom was fixed at seven. As electors the edict appointed, on the one side, the three ecclesiastical princes most closely connected with the history of the empire i.e. the Archbishops of Mainz, Trier, and Cologne. On the other side, the law settled the question, as far as it was still in dispute, as to whether the electoral vote pertained to certain secular principalities or to certain ruling families. It ordained that the right belonged to Bohemia, the Rhenish Palatinate, Saxony (Sachsen-Wittenberg), and the Mark of Brandenburg; this made the secular electors the King of Bohemia, the Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke of Saxony, and Margrave of Brandenburg. The Bull also defined the powers given by the imperial constitution to the electors, taken as a body, and to certain individual electors separately, both during a vacancy of the throne and during an imperial reign. Thus the document granted to the electors in their character as rulers of principalities certain privileges which had been originally reserved to the German king and emperor and were the signs of his sovereignty. The transfer of these rights to subordinate rulers would, necessarily, gradually make them independent of the head of the empire. The Bull also provided for the preservation of peace in the empire and enacted measures for holding in check the increasing political importance of the rising free cities. In the main the law was intended to confirm rights which had already had a historical development and to settle disputed details of these rights. Constitutional law in the Holy Roman Empire reached its full growth between the years 1220 and 1555. As to the position of the "Golden Bull" in connection with this development, see GERMANY.
BRYCE, The Holy Roman Empire (New York, 1904), 234 and passim; HAHN, Ursprung u. Bedeutung d. Goldenen Bulle (Breslau, 1903); Mittheil. des Instituts f. oesterreich. Gesch. (1884), V, 96-120.
MARTIN SPAHN
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Bubastis

From volume 3 of the work.
A titular see of Lower Egypt, on the right bank of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, near the modern Zagâzig, where its ruins are shown under the name of Tell Bastah. Its true name was Bast owing to the name of the local goddess Bastet; it became in Old Egyptian Per-bastet (Coptic Boubasti, Hebrew Pi-beseth, Greek Boubastis or more commonly Boubastos, i.e. House of Bastet). It was a place of importance under the twenty-third dynasty about 950-750 B.C. When the eastern part of Lower Egypt was divided into Augustamnica Prima in the north and Augustamnica Secunda in the south, Bubastis was included in the latter, whose capital was Leontopolis (Hierocles, Synecdemos, 728, 4), as the chief town of the Bubastites nomos and like every Egyptian nomos was the seat of a bishopric. Its bishop, Harpocration, was mentioned at Nicaea by Meletius among his well-wishers (Athan. Apol.c. Arianos, 71). About 340 the see was occupied by Hermon (Acta SS., May, III, 61). Julianus was present at the Latrocinium of Ephesus, 449. The see is mentioned in Georgius Cyprius (ed. Gelzer, 705). In the Middle Ages its fate is blended with that of Khandek, a Jacobite see near Cairo, to which it had been united. Thus in 1078 Gabriel, ep. Basta, quoe et Khandek, interfered in the election of the Patriarch Cyrillus (Renaudot, Hist. patriarch Alexandr. 450, 458, 465), and in 1102 John took a share in the consecration of the Patriarch Macarius II (ibid., 482). Under the Patriarch Cyrillus III (1235-43), the see is often mentioned, but without the name of its titular.
Lequien, Or. Christ., II, 559-562: Gams, Series episcop., 461.
L. Petit.
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Conradin of Bornada

From volume 4 of the work.
(Or CONRADIN OF BRESCIA)
Dominican preacher, b. in the latter part of the fourteenth century; d. at Bologna, 1 November, 1429. His parents, noble and wealthy Brescians, were devoted adherents of the Church in a time of many ills, including the great Western Schism. They gave their son a careful education and sent him, at the age of sixteen, to study civil and canon law at the University of Padua. There for five years amid the perils of the unbridled licence and moral disorders of the times, the youth was conspicuous for both talent and virtue, winning the esteem of his masters and compelling the respect of his fellow-students. He entered the Dominican Order at Padua in 1419, and was speedily found to be a model of religious observance. After his ordination his zeal found fruitful expression in his eloquent preaching. He was made prior of Brescia and shortly afterwards, by appointment of the master general, prior of the convent of St. Dominic at Bologna, where he was to restore strict observance. During a visitation of the black plague he displayed heroic zeal and intrepidity in ministering to the stricken people. Amid political upheavals, when bologna under the influence of the Bentivogli had revolted against papal authority, Conradin took a firm stand against the conduct of the misguided populace. For publishing the papal interdict, which they had incurred but which they had disregarded, he was twice seized and imprisoned, suffering many indignities and cruelties. His courageous bearing and constant mediation finally prevailed, however, and peace was restored. Pope Martin V, in recognition of his services, sought to create him a cardinal, but the humble servant of God resolutely declined the honour. The plague breaking out anew, Conradin fell a victim to his charity and died in the midst of his heroic ministrations. His early biographers generally refer to him as Blessed.
John R. Volz.
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Conrad of Utrecht

From volume 4 of the work.
Bishop; born in Swabia at an unknown date; killed at Utrecht, 14 April, 1099. Before becoming bishop he was chamberlain of Archbishop Anno II of Cologne and, for a time, tutor of Prince Henry, the future Emperor Henry IV. When the excommunicated Bishop William of Utrecht died in 1076, the emperor gave the episcopal See of Utrecht to Conrad, who, like his predecessor, sided with Henry IV in his conflicts with Gregory VII, and at the Synod of Brixen in 1080 even condemned the pope as a heretic. The contemporary annalist, Lambert of Hersfeld, calls Conrad a schismatic bishop, unworthy of holding an episcopal see. In a battle with Robert, Count of Flanders, Conrad was defeated, afterwards taken captive and compelled to yield part of South Holland to Robert. This territorial loss of the bishop was compensated by the emperor, who, in 1077, gave him the district of Stavoren in Friesland, and in 1086 added the two other Frisian districts, Ostergau and Westergau. Conrad is the founder and architect of the collegiate church of Notre-Dame at Utrecht. He was assassinated, shortly after completing the Holy Sacrifice, by his Frisian architect whom he had discharged, and who, in the opinion of some, was instigated by a certain nobleman whose domains Conrad held unjustly. He is said to have written the discourse "Pro Imperatore contra Papam", and to have delivered it at the Synod of Gerstungen in 1085. It is inserted by Aventinus (d. 1534) in his "Vita Henrici IV" and by Goldast (d. 1606) in his "Pro Henrico IV imperatore". Hefele (Conciliengeschichte, V, 180, note) is of the opinion that the discourse is falsely attributed to Conrad of Utrecht, and that Aventinus himself is the author.
Ruperti Chronicon in Mon. Germ. Hist.: Script., VIII, 278.
MICHAEL OTT
# Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Conrad von Bolanden

From volume 2 of the work.
(Joseph Bischoff)
A German novelist, son of a rich merchant, b. 9 August, 1828, at Niedergeilbach, a village of the Palatinate. He attended the Latin school at Blieskastel, the seminary at Speyer, and in 1849 entered the University of Munich to study theology. Ordained priest in 1852 he was appointed assistant pastor at the cathedral. Two years later he became pastor at Kirchheim Bolanden whence his pen name "Conrad von Bolanden". The following year he was transferred to Börrstadt and three years later to Berghausen. During this time he wrote his first four works: "A Wedding Trip", "Queen Bertha", "Historical Tales of Frederick II", and "Gustav Adolf". In 1870 he resigned his parish to devote himself exclusively to literary work, and lived in strict retirement at Speyer. He published numerous novels of which the most noteworthy are: "Canossa", "Trowel or Cross", "Night of St. Batholomew", "Savonarola", "Crusades", "Wambold", "Charlemagne", "Otto the Great", "Pillar of Truth".
His novels and romances, though not all of equal worth, are written for the people, brilliant in conception, simple in style. He fearlessly defends the Catholic standpoint and supports his position by frequent quotations from original sources. But in discussing questions of the day his criticisms are often severe and unjust. His works are widely read and have been translated into English and other European languages.
The Catholic World, xvii, 308; KEITER, Katholische Erzöhler, 131.
B. Dieringer.