Guido de Baysio

Guido de Baysio (born about the middle of the thirteenth century of a noble Ghibelline family; died at Avignon, 10 August 1313) was an Italian canonist. Having held the position of archdeacon, Baysio is often known by the name Archidiaconus and thus quoted.

Biography

The probable place of his birth is Reggio, where he also studied law under Guido de Suzaria. Here he became, successively, doctor and professor of canon law and also obtained an ecclesiastical benefice as canon. Gerhard, Bishop of Parma (d. 1301) attached Guido to himself; and remained his patron also as Cardinal-Archbishop of Sabina.

During the brief pontificate of Pope Benedict XI (1303–1304), he wrote an accurate and complete, but rather diffuse, commentary on the "Liber sextus". His stay at Avignon was marked by a Tractatus super haeresi et aliis criminibus in causa Templariorum et D. Bonifacii. This latter work was written in connection with the condemnation of the Templars at the Council of Vienne. The second part of the work constitutes a defence of the orthodoxy of Boniface VIII.