Editing Pope Benedict XI (section)

==Office and responsibility==
In 1286, at the meeting of the Provincial Chapter, which took place that year in Brescia, Boccasini was elected Provincial Prior of Lombardy.<ref>Fietta, p. 236. Benedikt Maria Reichert (editor), ''Cronica ordinis praedicatorum ab anno 1170. usque ad 1333'' Part 1 (Rome 1897), pp. 102-104.</ref> As Provincial of Lombardy, Boccasini's lifestyle changed considerably. Instead of being firmly attached to a single convent for years, he instead became peripatetic, moving from one convent to another on visits of inspection, encouragement and correction. In Lombardy at the time there were some fifty-one convents.<ref>Mortier, p. 323. Bernardus Guidonis, however, states that, when the Province of Lombardy was divided in 1303, there were thirty-three convents. Jacobus Echard, ''Scriptores Ordinis Praedicatorum recensiti'' Tomus primus (Paris 1719), p. vii. There were also convents of nuns which were under his jurisdiction.</ref> 

He had responsibility as an Inquisitor, a task for which popes considered Franciscans and Dominicans especially suited.<ref>On 26 August 1289 Pope Nicholas IV wrote to all the Inquisitors of the Dominican Order in Lombardy and the March of Genoa, urging them to pursue their work against heretics with energy: [[Augustus Potthast]], {{lang|la|Regesta pontificum Romanorum}} II, no. 23053.</ref> He had the responsibility of convening the Provincial Chapters. In 1287, the Chapter was at Venice; in 1288, it was at Rimini; in 1289 at the General Chapter, which was held at Trier, Boccasini was released from the office of Provincial of Lombardy, having completed his three-year term. It is probable that, without office, he returned to a convent, possibly that of Treviso—though the evidence is scanty and based on wills and codicils.<ref>Fietta, p. 244.</ref> 

He was elected Provincial Prior of Lombardy again, however, at the Provincial Chapter held at Brescia in 1293. In 1294 it was held at Faventia, in 1295 at Verona, and in 1296 at Ferrara, where Boccasini's successor was elected, since he had a new assignment.

===Master General of the Order of Preachers===
At the Capitulum Generale of the Order of Preachers, which was held at Strasbourg in 1296, Boccasini was elected [[Master of the Order of Preachers]],<ref>Reichert, ''Cronica ordinis praedicatorum'', p. 104.</ref> and issued ordinances that forbade public questioning of the legitimacy of [[Pope Boniface VIII]]'s papal election (which had taken place on Christmas Eve, 1295) on the part of any Dominican.

===Cardinalate===
Boccasini was elevated to the cardinalate on 4 December 1298 by Boniface VIII, and assigned the title of [[Cardinal-Priest of Santa Sabina]].<ref>Eubel, pp. 12-13.</ref> He entered the Roman Curia on 25 March 1299 and thus began to receive his share of the profits of the Chamber of the College of Cardinals.

He was promoted to the rank of Cardinal-Bishop of the See of Ostia on 2 March 1300 and also received [[episcopal consecration]]. On 13 May 1301 he was appointed Apostolic Legate to Hungary. He made his official departure on 22 June 1301 and returned on 10 May 1303.<ref>Eubel, p. 13, note 1.</ref> He also served as [[papal legate]] to France.

When Pope Boniface VIII was seized at [[Anagni]] in September 1303, Boccasini was one of only two cardinals to defend the Pope in the Episcopal Palace itself. The other was Pedro Rodriguez, Bishop of Sabina. They were imprisoned for three days.<ref>Augustinus Theiner (Editor), ''Caesaris S. R. E. Cardinalis Baronii, Od. Raynaldi et Jac. Laderchii Annales Ecclesiastici'' Tomus Vigesimus Tertius, 1286–1312 (Barri-Ducis: Ludovicus Guerin 1871), under the year 1303, § 41, pp. 330–331; Ludovico Antonio Muratori, ''Rerum Italicarum Scriptores'', p. 672.</ref> On Monday 10 September they were liberated by forces led by Cardinal [[Luca Fieschi]], and on 14 September the Pope and his retinue returned to Rome, with an escort organized by Cardinal Matteo Rosso Orsini.<ref>Gregorovius V. 2, pp. 588-594.</ref>