Alexander V

Alexander V (c. 1339 – May 3, 1410), born Pietro Philarghi and also known as Peter of Candia, was a Franciscan theologian and prelate who served as antipope during the Western Schism from June 26, 1409, until his death. Elected by the Council of Pisa in an attempt to heal the division within the Catholic Church, his ascension inadvertently resulted in a tripartite schism, creating a situation where three rival claimants to the papacy existed simultaneously.

Early Life and Education

Born in Crete, which was then part of the Republic of Venice and known as Candia, Pietro Philarghi entered the Franciscan order at a young age. He demonstrated exceptional intellectual abilities early on and was sent to study at the prestigious universities of Oxford and Paris. At the University of Paris, he earned a doctorate in theology and became a highly respected scholar. He was particularly known for his extensive commentaries on the Sentences of Peter Lombard, a foundational theological text of the Middle Ages. His academic prowess and eloquence earned him the patronage of Gian Galeazzo Visconti, the powerful Duke of Milan.

Ecclesiastical Career

Philarghi's rise within the Church hierarchy was steady and closely tied to his academic reputation and political connections. He served as a tutor to the children of Gian Galeazzo Visconti and was subsequently appointed to a series of increasingly important episcopal sees. He became Bishop of Piacenza in 1386, Bishop of Vicenza in 1387, Bishop of Novara in 1389, and finally Archbishop of Milan in 1402. Throughout his career, he was a strong advocate for church reform and played a significant role in the diplomatic efforts of the Visconti family. Recognizing his influence and intellect, Pope Innocent VII created him a cardinal in 1405.

The Council of Pisa and Election

During the Western Schism, the Catholic Church was deeply divided between two rival popes: Gregory XII in Rome and Benedict XIII in Avignon. In an effort to resolve the crisis, a group of cardinals from both obediences, supported by various European monarchs, convened the Council of Pisa in 1409. The council declared both existing popes deposed for schism, perjury, and heresy. On June 26, 1409, the assembled cardinals elected the 70-year-old Pietro Philarghi as the new pope. He took the name Alexander V. The electors hoped that his reputation for piety, profound learning, and political neutrality would successfully unite the fractured Church.

Pontificate

Alexander V's pontificate was brief and largely ineffective in achieving its primary goal of ending the schism. Rather than stepping down as the Council of Pisa demanded, both Gregory XII and Benedict XIII refused to recognize the council's authority or Alexander's election. Consequently, instead of two, there were now three claimants to the papal throne. Alexander V was recognized by France, England, Portugal, and several other European states, but his actual temporal control was largely limited to the territories of his chief protector, Cardinal Baldassare Cossa.

During his short reign, Alexander issued several papal bulls aimed at church reform. He condemned simony, regulated the granting of indulgences, and attempted to restore discipline within the mendicant orders. He also granted generous privileges to the University of Paris and the Franciscan order. However, his reliance on Baldassare Cossa, a man of immense political and military ambition, severely limited his independent authority.

Death and Legacy

Alexander V died suddenly on May 3, 1410, in Bologna. Almost immediately, rumors circulated that he had been poisoned by his ambitious successor, Baldassare Cossa, who was elected shortly after as Antipope John XXIII. However, modern historians generally attribute his death to natural causes, given his advanced age of approximately 71 and the physical toll of the ongoing political crises. He was buried in the church of San Francesco in Bologna, where a magnificent tomb was later erected in his memory.

Historical Status

For centuries, the Catholic Church officially recognized Alexander V as a legitimate pope. This historical acceptance is the reason why the infamous Renaissance pope Rodrigo Borgia chose the name Alexander VI upon his election in 1492. However, in the early 20th century, the Vatican revised its official list of popes, the Annuario Pontificio. The Council of Pisa was retroactively deemed uncanonical because it was not convened by a legitimate pope, and Alexander V was reclassified as an antipope. Despite this reclassification, the Vatican did not alter the numbering of subsequent popes named Alexander, leaving Alexander V as an antipope in official church history while preserving the established numerical sequence.