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Stunningly colorful and attractive Papal Proclamation, secreterially signed for Pope Pius IV. The document confers: ".we exalt you with honorable titles. Therefore, the Sacred Lateran. Palatine Hall, Knight, Count Palatine, and Knight of the Golden Horde.". Scores of gold leaf letters and words, including the title "VITELLOTIVS". The rubricated first letter "M"ISERATION, is red, blue and gold, with more than a two dozen smaller rubricated letters, (red, blue green). Signed, "Julius Masettus secretarius ~". The subject, Christopher of Rangona [Rangoni], seems to have come from: "Nobility of lineage, faith which we have learned from the devotion which your Father and Noble Predecessors have shown to the Holy Roman Church." The Church further mandates with force of this document ".our most holy Lord, the Pope, who lives, voicing his words on this done to us and by the authority of our Chamberlainship office and the vigor of the special faculty attributed to us, we create you as Tenor of the present, and we confer and grant you .the dignity of an Equestrian." In the medieval church, the tilte "Equestrian" referred to members of the Equestran Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, a chivalric order dedicated to safeguarding holy sites and suporting hte Church's works in the Holy Land. Christoforo du Rangoni hailed from a noble family of influential aritocratic lineage from Modena, Italy, but who were also close allies to the French King, Francis I. He is primarily remembered for his involvement in the military campaigns of his era, principally his participation in the Battle of Lepanto (1571). Rangona is a small hill town in northeast Italy in the province of Verona. Castelnuovo Rangone is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Modena in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about 40 kilometres west of Bologna and about 13 kilometres (8 mi) south of Modena. "You shall be held and considered a Knight of the Golden Chamber and Palatine, with all the AURORATES, TORQUES, SWORDS, ENSIBVS, CALCARIBVS, VESTIBVS, and other ornaments and with all and each privilege, concessions, liberties, prerogatives, titles and honors which the other aforesaid Holy Lateran Palace and Aul Knights enjoy, use, possess and enjoy." [Full Latin text and translation available upon request]. About twelve holes along some folds from pin size to 1/4", 1 inch chip at upper right edge, not visible if framed. 450 years of fold memory and vellum stricture, 3 folds in each direction. 24.5" x 18" document with printing covering 18.5" x 8".
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