Background
He was born at Trebizond, in Asia Minor in 1403. As a youth, Bessarion joined the order of St. Basil. He spent 20 years in a monastery in southern Greece. Made bishop of Nicea in 1436, he was asked to accompany the emperor and other religious leaders to the Council of Ferrara, at which it was hoped the Greek and the Roman churches would be reconciled. Bessarion was one of the Greek envoys who enthusiastically encouraged the unity of the two churches.In 1439 or 1440 he was created cardinal. In 1450 Bessarion was sent as legate to govern the papal city of Bologna.When Nicholas V died in 1455 Bessarion would probably have succeeded him had it not been for the opposition that his Greek birth aroused.In 1463 he was appointed patriarch of Constantinople by Pope Pius II. On his last mission he was sent to effect a reconciliation between two embittered, life-long enemies: Louis XI, king of France, and Charles the Bold, duke of Burgundy. He failed, however, and died on his homeward journey at Ravenna, on Nov. 18, 1472.
