For the large number of towns that contend his birth, Pope Niccolò V, can be paragonated to Homer.

His first biographer, Vespasiano da Bisticci but also Giannozzo Manetti, his secretary, said he was born in Pisa, others said in Lucca, Fosdinovo, Nicola. There is an explanation for this thing. His forefathers came, surely, from Pisa but they had moved to Sarzana since two centuries, as it was stated by Bonaventura de Rossi. His father who was a sugeon, went to Lucca in 1400 as the pleague (black death) had broken out a year before. He died in that town because got infected. As a token of greatitude he received the freedom of the city. Vespasiano da Bisticci wrote: “ In May of 1400 all the doctors and surgeons had run away and Lazzaro Guinigi proposed to call Magister Bartolomeo from Sarzana, great and expert surgeon”.

Gio Gualtiero said he was born in Fivizzano; his mother Andreola came from Verrucola which is near Fivizzano; while Oldoini said he was born in Nicola.
Giovanni Sforza wrote a big volume about Pope Niccolò V and finally resolved the matter, demonstating that he was born in Sarzana ( 15th Nov. 1397- christened Thomas). For a further confirmation there is a letter written by the prior of the catalan monastry of Sent Lorens del Monte: “es de baxa ma, natural de un loch qui s’apella Sarzana en ribera de Jenova”(born in a place called Sarzana which is in the Genoan Riviera).

The young boy studied in Lucca (another reason to be considered from Lucca) and in Bologna. He was for a short time in Florence under the protection of Cardinal Niccolò Albergati because his mother had financial difficulties and in this period he became friend with Enea Silvio Piccolomini (the future Pope Pio II).

His mother got married for the second time with the citizen of Sarzana Thomas Calandrini, already widower with three sons. She is buried in the Dome of Spoleto where, perhaps had followed one of the sons.

Niccolò V had the passion for the ancient books coming from his friendships with many men of letters. He became Bishop of Bologna the 27th Nov. 1444 and Cardinal the 16th Dic. 1446. During this period Pope Eugenio IV assigned to him a lot of ambassadorships. He was elected Pope the 6th March 1447. Gio Antonio from Faie in his letter wrote: “The 28th Feb. ( the date is different) liked to God that the land of Lunigiana had honour and for this reason it was nominated Pope a man from Sarzana, who had so many qualities that in only two years Pope Eugenio appointed him first bishop and then cardinal”.
The Romans, following an acquired right, sacked the house of the ones who were thought to become Pope, and this happened first to the house of cardinal Colonna and then to the Orsini’s one; “ to Parentucelli they took away everything, but to say the truth, almost nothing, because it’s a privilege of the poor to lose little”. Piccolomini wrote.

To better understand the importance of the work did by Niccolò V, it is useful to know the period in which he lived. Italy was divided in several principalities and small republics, booty of famous leaders of mercenary companies, like the Piccinino, the Malatesta, the Sforza, the Facino Cane, who, rescruited men, fought one against the other for themselves or for different princes, spreading everywhere terror, desolation and death; but Niccolò V didn’t surrender in front of anything. He tried to bring peace in a hard world. He was particularly fond of culture and asked his men to collect ancient books and manuscripts. He had the merit to have founded the Vatican Library: many scribes worked to copy the texts that had been found. The library reached the number of about 5000 volumes and about 1500 manuscripts.

To bring peace in a world thirsting for blood and war it’s a hard task. A man of letter, Stefano Porcari, who was protected by him, plotted a conspiracy that fortunately failed. The fall of Constantinople in the hands of the Turkish saddened the Pope and quickned his end. Vespasiano da Bisticci wrote again: he tried to defend the world from nepotism, demonstrating, anyway, love for his family. None of Parentucelli’s got rich.

He proclaimed the Jubilee of 1450. He died when he was 57 in 1455. He is buried in the Vatican.

From “Appunti per una storia di Sarzana” Ennio Callegari.