Editing Pope Benedict XI (section)

===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>