JULIAN or JULIANUS, CESARINT, 1308-1440; b. Rome; descendant of a noble Italian and one of the most illustrious in the church of Rome in the middle ages; educated at the university of Perugia, and appointed to a professorShip at Padua. The dissensions and disorders in the Roman church in the 15th c. required men of great decision and energy. and pope Martin V., recognizing the eminent talents of the young Julian, summoned him to his aid, and appointed him apostolic prothonotary. As the companion and assistant of cardinal Bremda he was sent to Bohemia to bring hack the Hussites to allegiance to the church. The mission failed, but for his great services he was made in 1426 cardinal of Sante Angelo. He was sent to represent the pope at a diet in Nuremburg and at the council of Constance at Basle. It was determined to extirpate the Hussites, and before the meeting of the council of Constance, Julian put himself at the head of an army of crusaders, whom he in vain endeavored to fire with religious zeal and patriotic devotion against the Hussites. Repairing to the council of Basle he was made its president, and exerted himself to win back the Hussites by peaceful measures. He relied with confidence on the influence of the council. Eugenius the pope was determined to abrogate its decision, but Julian was opposed to this, and defended the independence of the council and its superiority over the pontiff. But
while seeking reform within the church, and contending for the supremacy of the council over the pope, he faithfully adhered to the pontificate, defending the cause of the pope against the attacks of many leaders of the church. Finding the council unwilling to meet his views, he changed his course and became a firm adherent of Eugenius. The council now found itself at variance :with its able president, and the church threatened with a great schism. In 1437 a bull was issued ordering a synod at Ferrara to consider the question of uniting the eastern and western churches. Julian, resigning the presi dency, left Basle and hastened to Ferrara. The sudden change of Julian from an opponent to a friend of Eugenics has led some to doubt his sincerity. But it can be easily accounted for by his earnest desire for the union of the eastern and western churches and the healing of schisms. He has, however, been charged with duplicity towards the prelates of the eastern church in the council of Florence, to which place the assembly was removed front Ferrara.. For his services to the papacy Eugenius made him bishop of Frascati, and in 1443 appointed him legate to Hungary. He was killed in a war with the Saracens.