Capistrano

Capistrano, Giovanni di, was born at Capistrano in the Abruzzi in 1386. After a short experience of the law he became a Franciscan friar, and won great fame as a preacher. Nicholas V. sent him to Germany in 1450 to oppose the heretical followers of Huss and to raise a crusade against the Turks. He was partly successful in the first object, and though he failed in the second, he died whilst leading a final sortie from Belgrade against the infidel besiegers in 1456. He was canonised in 1690.