Boso Breakspeare

Boso (death 1178) was an Italian Cardinal.

According to the older historiography Boso was an Englishman from St Albans and nephew of Nicholas Breakspear, future Pope Adrian IV, on his mother's side. He ostensibly joined the Order of Benedictines at St Albans Abbey in the young age, and then entered the Roman Curia when his uncle Nicholas became cardinal. Shortly after his election to the papacy he was promoted to the cardinalate and died ca. 1181.

This view was still accepted at the beginning of 20th century, but subsequently was challenged by the number of scholars. Johannes M. Brixius (1912) undermined the tradition identyfying him as nephew of Adrian IV and benedictine monk. He showed that neither his relationship with Adrian IV nor his belonging to the Order of Benedictines is attested in any of the contemporary sources, while papal privileges for the Boso's titular church of S. Pudenziana attached this title to the canons regular of S. Maria di Reno. Therefore, Brixius concluded that Boso must have been a member of this religious community, and not a Benedictine. However, he still considered him an Englishman.

The monograph of F. Geisthardt (1936) about Cardinal Boso refuted almost all elements of his traditional biography concerning the period before his promotion to the cardinalate. He has proven that Boso's curial career much predated the career of his alleged uncle Nicholas Breakspear. He served at the papal curia from at least 1135 as member of the household of cardinal Guido of SS. Cosma e Damiano from Pisa, and it was Guido, not Nicholas, who was his early protector at the papal court. Geisthardt has established that Boso was born probably at Loppia near Lucca in Tuscany. His conclusions are now accepted in academic literature.

Born probably at Loppia in Tuscany, Boso joined the canons regular of S. Maria di Reno at Bologna. In 1135 he entered the service of cardinal Guido of SS. Cosma e Damiano and accompanied him in his legatine mission to Spain 1143. After Guido's death in autumn 1149 Boso replaced him as director of papal chancery, though without the title of chancellor. He occupied that post until 3 May 1153.

When Nicholas Breakspear became Pope Adrian IV in December 1154, appointed Boso to the important post of Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church and confided to him the governorship of the Castle of Sant' Angelo, being somewhat suspicious of the fidelity of the Roman populace. Two years later, on 21 December 1156, the same pope named him cardinal-deacon of SS. Cosma e Damiano; as such, he subscribed papal bulls between 4 January 1157 and 1 August 1165.

...
Wikipedia