Elisa Frei is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Catholic Theology of the Goethe-Universität Frankfurt. She also works at the Digital Indipetae Database, hosted by the Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies at Boston College, and is a research associate at the University of York. She has published widely on Jesuit missions, and co-edited the eight-volume series Asia by the Jesuit Daniello Bartoli.

• AcknowledgmentsIntroduction1 Litterae Indipetae1.1 Purpose, Structure, and Instructions1.2 A “Typical” Petitioner?: Health and AgeConclusions2 Desires: Push and Pull FactorsIntroduction2.1 Pull Factors: Reading2.2 Push Factors: Reasons to LeaveConclusions3 The Petitioners’ Network3.1 Strategies to Be Chosen: Not Only Indipetae, but Also Hearings in Rome3.2 The Generals and Their Replies4 Case Studies: China and Japan4.1 The Desire for the Far East4.2 “Unsuccessful” Candidates4.3 “Successful” CandidatesConclusionsAppendix 1: Asian Preference in the indipetae from the Italian Assistancy (1687–1730)Appendix 2: Indipetae Sent from the Italian Assistancy (1687–1730)Appendix 3: Origin of the indipetae Written from the Italian Assistancy (1687–1730)Appendix 4: Indipetae from the Italian Assistancy according to the Jesuit Province (1687–1730)ConclusionsIndex

Elisa Frei is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Catholic Theology of the Goethe-Universität Frankfurt. She also works at the Digital Indipetae Database, hosted by the Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies at Boston College, and is a research associate at the University of York. She has published widely on Jesuit missions, and co-edited the eight-volume series Asia by the Jesuit Daniello Bartoli.

• AcknowledgmentsIntroduction1 Litterae Indipetae1.1 Purpose, Structure, and Instructions1.2 A “Typical” Petitioner?: Health and AgeConclusions2 Desires: Push and Pull FactorsIntroduction2.1 Pull Factors: Reading2.2 Push Factors: Reasons to LeaveConclusions3 The Petitioners’ Network3.1 Strategies to Be Chosen: Not Only Indipetae, but Also Hearings in Rome3.2 The Generals and Their Replies4 Case Studies: China and Japan4.1 The Desire for the Far East4.2 “Unsuccessful” Candidates4.3 “Successful” CandidatesConclusionsAppendix 1: Asian Preference in the indipetae from the Italian Assistancy (1687–1730)Appendix 2: Indipetae Sent from the Italian Assistancy (1687–1730)Appendix 3: Origin of the indipetae Written from the Italian Assistancy (1687–1730)Appendix 4: Indipetae from the Italian Assistancy according to the Jesuit Province (1687–1730)ConclusionsIndex

Elisa Frei is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Catholic Theology of the Goethe-Universität Frankfurt. She also works at the Digital Indipetae Database, hosted by the Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies at Boston College, and is a research associate at the University of York. She has published widely on Jesuit missions, and co-edited the eight-volume series Asia by the Jesuit Daniello Bartoli.

• AcknowledgmentsIntroduction1 Litterae Indipetae1.1 Purpose, Structure, and Instructions1.2 A “Typical” Petitioner?: Health and AgeConclusions2 Desires: Push and Pull FactorsIntroduction2.1 Pull Factors: Reading2.2 Push Factors: Reasons to LeaveConclusions3 The Petitioners’ Network3.1 Strategies to Be Chosen: Not Only Indipetae, but Also Hearings in Rome3.2 The Generals and Their Replies4 Case Studies: China and Japan4.1 The Desire for the Far East4.2 “Unsuccessful” Candidates4.3 “Successful” CandidatesConclusionsAppendix 1: Asian Preference in the indipetae from the Italian Assistancy (1687–1730)Appendix 2: Indipetae Sent from the Italian Assistancy (1687–1730)Appendix 3: Origin of the indipetae Written from the Italian Assistancy (1687–1730)Appendix 4: Indipetae from the Italian Assistancy according to the Jesuit Province (1687–1730)ConclusionsIndex