a congregation of religious in the church of Rome, established by some Milanese gentlemen on their release from prison, where they had been confined under the emperor Conrad, or, as others say, under Frederick I. in the year 1162. This order, which acquired great wealth, and had no less than 90 monasteries, was abolished by Pope Pius V. in 1572, and their houses given to the Dominicans and Cordeliers, for their luxury and cruelty.