Romanus was related to one of the noble families in the neighborhood of Rome. Since a major concern of the Council of Bourges was the practice of conferring French benefices on nonresident Roman curialists, it should be noted that Romanus, like other cardinals, was both a beneficiary and a patron. The sermon shows Romanus to have been a competent preacher, but one whose presentation was intellectual rather than affective. Most of Romanus’ energy was devoted to the major missions confided to him. Gaining the respect of the French clergy was itself a step towards the efficient organization of the crusade, but negotiations with Louis VIII claimed the greater part of his attention. The legates position was a delicate one. Romanus was trying to arrange an Anglo-French truce, he was also negotiating with Louis over the king’s terms for undertaking a royal crusade in Occitania.