Peter of Capua the Elder

Peter of Capua, known as Peter of Capua the Elder to distinguish him from his nephew, was an Italian scholastic theologian and prelate who died on August 30, 1214. He served as cardinal-deacon of Santa Maria in Via Lata from 1193 to 1201 and cardinal-priest of San Marcello al Corso from 1201 until his death. He frequently acted as a papal legate, undertaking significant diplomatic and ecclesiastical missions. His early life involved education at the Universities of Bologna and Paris, where he studied theology and philosophy and became associated with influential scholars. He joined the Roman curia, teaching theology and law, and authored theological works in a conservative scholastic style. As a cardinal, he was involved in various papal legations, including those in southern Italy, Bohemia, Poland, France, and Burgundy. He played a role in the Fourth Crusade, attempting to mediate and later dealing with the aftermath of the sack of Constantinople. He also undertook missions to the Holy Land, mediating disputes and introducing reforms. In his later life, he returned to Amalfi, where he founded charitable institutions, including a hospital and a school, and acquired relics. He was instrumental in establishing the monastery of San Pietro di Canonica. His death occurred in Viterbo, and he was buried in Rome. His works, such as the Summae and Alphabetum, were influential in scholastic circles.