Nomos 25

ITALY. Papal States. Urban VI (Bartolomeo Prignano), 1378-1389. Seal or Bulla (Lead, 36.5 mm, 54.09 g, 12 h), Rome. S PA S PE Nimbate facing heads of St. Paul, bald and with a long, linear beard, on the left and St. Peter, with curly hair and beard composed of pellets, on the right; between them, Latin cross on a long staff and base; all within a circular, dotted border . Rev. •URB/ANVS•/ •PP• VI (with eagle head stops) in three lines; below, two eagles with wings spread, facing to left; the whole within a circular, dotted border. Serafini 10-3. Very well centered; fine reddish surfaces. Relatively scarce. Very fine.

From the Dr. Pelc Dens Sapientiae Collection, USA.

In 1378 Urban VI succeeded Gregory XI, the last of the official Avignon Popes, thus apparently ensuring that the Papacy would return to Rome. Unfortunately this enraged the French cardinals, among others, who ended up electing another Pope, Clement VII, thus beginning what became known as the Western Schism, which lasted until 1417. Urban VI's reign was almost entirely spent at war. Interestingly enough, when reconstruction work was being carried out in St. Peter's in 1606 UrbanVI's tomb was discovered. Initially not being recognised the workmen were going to dumb the bones and reuse the sarcophagus for a watering trough for horses (!) when the Vatican Archivist, Giacomo Grimaldi (1568-1623) realized what they were and saved them!