Bertrand, Pierre

Bertrand, Pierre a French prelate and theologian of the former half of the 14th century, a native of Annonay, taught civil and canonical law at Avignon, Montpellier, Orleans, and Paris, and was canon and dean of Puy-en-Velay, counsellor- clerk at the Parliament of Paris, chancellor of queen Joan of Burgundy, bishop of Nevers, and, later, bishop of Autun. His merit gained for him numerous friends among the scholars who frequented the court of the pope at Avignon, and the court of the kings of France. He played an important part in the conference held at Vincennes in 1329, where Philip of Valois presided, in which the question was the circumscribing of the civil and ecclesiastical jurisdiction in disputable matters. The result of this was a promise of reformation on the part of the clergy. The contests which were then going on between France and England did not allow the king to see to the execution of this agreement. The oratorical talent which, Bertrand showed on this occasion, in response to Peter of Cugnieres, advocate of the king, gained for him, in 1331, the hat of the cardinal, which was given to him by pope John XXII. He founded at Paris the College of Autun, called also the College of Cardinal Bertrand. He died at Avignon, June 24, 1349, leaving, Libellus adversus Petrum de Cugneriis (Paris, 1503, 1513); the best edition is that given by Brunet in 1731: — Tractus de Origine Jurisdictionum, sive de. Dabus Potestatibus, etc. (ibid. 1551). See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.; Biog. Universelle, s.v.