Papal conclave, 1458
Encyclopedia
The Papal conclave of 1458 (August 16–19, 1458) convened after the death of Pope Callixtus III
, elected as his successor Cardinal Enea Silvio Piccolomini, who took the name Pius II.
, the first pope of the House of Borgia, died on August 6, 1458. He was severely criticized due to his nepotism
and devotion towards his compatriots of Catalonia
, very unpopular among the rather xenophobic Roman populace. After the Pope's death an open revolt against had broken up and some of his partisans (e.g. his nephew Pedro Luis de Borja
) had to flee Rome.
, archpriest of the College, unexpectedly died. In the conclave participated 18 out of 26 members of the Sacred College:
Eight electors were Italian, five Spaniards, two French, two Greeks and one Portuguese. Seven of them were created by Callistus III, six by Eugenius IV, four by Nicholas V and one by Martin V.
Of the absentee cardinals four were creatures of Eugenius IV, two of Nicholas V and one of Callixtus III. Pierre de Foix was the last surviving cardinal of the Great Western Schism and was elevated by Pisan Antipope John XXIII
.
Among them there were three French, two Germans, one Spaniard, one Italian and the one Hungarian.
, Republic of Genoa
and Duchy of Milan
– feared a rebirth of French interest in Italian affairs and tried to prevent the elevation of a French pope at all costs. The official candidate of the Milanese was Domenico Capranica
. The campaign for his election in the preconclave period was so successful that it appeared almost certain that he would be elected to the papacy. But Cardinal Capranica died suddenly on August 14, 1458, two days before the beginning of the conclave, leaving his party in a great confusion. Ottone de Carretto, ambassador of Milan in Rome, made the quick and unconsulted decision to support Cardinal Enea Piccolomini and managed to convince Latino Orsini, one of the most influential cardinals, to back him in this action. The principal candidate of the pro-French party was d'Estouteville. Bessarion, Torquemada and Calandrini also were considered papabile
.
, which obliged the elect to continue the crusade against the Ottoman Empire
and to give more welfare to poorer cardinals.
The first scrutiny took place only on August 18. Cardinals Piccolomini and Calandrini received five votes each, while none of the others obtained more than three. At this point French Cardinal d'Estouteville started the intensive simonical
campaign for his own candidature. He promised the office of Vice-Chancellor to the Cardinal of Avignon and offered other bribes to the Greek cardinals. On August 18 in the evening he was certain that he would obtain at least eleven votes on the following morning But the opposite Italian party also didn't waste its time. During the night Cardinal Pietro Barbo
called together all the other Italian cardinals except Prospero Colonna and proposed to them that, of them all, the one most likely to obtain the required majority of two thirds was Piccolomini, and that all should support him on the following day.
The results of the second ballot on August 19 in the morning were a greatly disappointed surprise for d'Estouteville. He received only six votes – those of de Coëtivy, Colonna, Bessarion, Fieschi, Torquemada, and Castiglione. Cardinal Piccolomini obtained nine votes – those of Barbo, Orsini, Calandrini, Isidore of Kiev, de Mella, de La Cerda, Jaime de Portugal, del Mila y Borja, and that of d'Estouteville, who hesitated to vote for himself but certainly did not consider Piccolomini a serious rival. The votes of Rodrigo Borgia, Giacomo Tebaldi and Enea Piccolomini fell to other candidates. After the announcing the results, Cardinal Dean opened the customary procedure of the accessus
. There was a long silence broken by Rodrigo Borgia who changed his vote to Piccolomini. Then the partisans of d'Estouteville made an attempt to adjourn the session, but Cardinal Tebaldi also changed his vote to Piccolomini, who needed only one vote more for the election. At this point Cardinal Colonna arose and called out before anyone could have restrained him: "I also vote for the Cardinal of Siena and I make him Pope". The rest of the adherents of the Cardinal of Rouen could do nothing but change their votes too, and a few minutes later Cardinal Bessarion congratulated Piccolomini for his unanimous election to the papacy.
Cardinal Enea Silvio Piccolomini accepted his election and took the name Pius II. On September 3, 1458 he was solemnly crowned
in the steps of the patriarchal Vatican Basilica by Cardinal Prospero Colonna
, protodeacon
of S. Giorgio in Velabro.
Vatican History: Konklave 1458
Pope Callixtus III
Pope Callixtus III , né Alfons de Borja, was Pope from April 8, 1455 to his death in 1458.-Biography:...
, elected as his successor Cardinal Enea Silvio Piccolomini, who took the name Pius II.
Death of Callixtus III
Pope Callixtus IIIPope Callixtus III
Pope Callixtus III , né Alfons de Borja, was Pope from April 8, 1455 to his death in 1458.-Biography:...
, the first pope of the House of Borgia, died on August 6, 1458. He was severely criticized due to his nepotism
Nepotism
Nepotism is favoritism granted to relatives regardless of merit. The word nepotism is from the Latin word nepos, nepotis , from which modern Romanian nepot and Italian nipote, "nephew" or "grandchild" are also descended....
and devotion towards his compatriots of Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, very unpopular among the rather xenophobic Roman populace. After the Pope's death an open revolt against had broken up and some of his partisans (e.g. his nephew Pedro Luis de Borja
Pedro Luis de Borja
Pedro Luis de Borja was younger brother of Rodrigo Borgia and nephew of Cardinal Alonso de Borja, who in 1455 became Pope Callixtus III. He was called Don Pedro Luis....
) had to flee Rome.
List of participants
At the time of Callixtus' death, there were 27 living cardinals, of whom 19 were in Rome, but on August 14 Cardinal Domenico CapranicaDomenico Capranica
Domenico Capranica was an Italian theologian, canonist, statesman, and Cardinal.He was born in Capranica Prenestina. After studies in canon and civil law at Padua and Bologna, under teachers probably including Giuliano Cesarini, he received the title of Doctor of Both Laws at the age of twenty-one...
, archpriest of the College, unexpectedly died. In the conclave participated 18 out of 26 members of the Sacred College:
| Elector | Nationality | Cardinalatial Title | Elevated | Elevator | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giorgio Fieschi Giorgio Fieschi Giorgio Fieschi was an Italian cardinal, of the counts of Lavagna.He was elected bishop of Mariana, in Corsica, on May 27, 1433... (called Cardinal Fieschi) |
Genovese Genoa Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria.... |
Bishop of Ostia e Velletri | 1439, December 18 | Pope Eugenius IV | Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals; bishop of Albenga |
| Isidore of Kiev Isidore of Kiev Isidore of Kiev, also known as Isidore of Thessalonica was a Greek Metropolitan of Kiev, cardinal, humanist, and theologian. He was one of the chief Eastern defenders of reunion at the time of the Council of Florence.-Early life:... (Cardinal of Ruthenia) |
Greek Greece Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe.... |
Bishop of Sabina; administrator of SS. Marcellino e Pietro |
1439, December 18 | Pope Eugenius IV | Latin Patriarch of Constantinople Latin Patriarch of Constantinople The Latin Patriarch of Constantinople was an office established as a result of Crusader activity in the Near East. The title should not be confused with that of the Patriarch of Constantinople, an office which existed before and after.... ; administrator of the see of Nicosia Nicosia Nicosia from , known locally as Lefkosia , is the capital and largest city in Cyprus, as well as its main business center. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, with the southern and the northern portions divided by a Green Line... |
| Bessarion (Cardinal of Nicea) |
Greek Greece Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe.... |
Bishop of Frascati; commendatario of SS. XII Apostoli |
1439, December 18 | Pope Eugenius IV | Titular archbishop of Nicea and Tebe; administrator of the sees of Mazara del Vallo Mazara del Vallo Mazara del Vallo is a town and comune in southwestern Sicily, Italy, which lies mainly on the left bank at the mouth of the Mazaro river, administratively part of the province of Trapani.... and Pamplona Pamplona Pamplona is the historial capital city of Navarre, in Spain, and of the former kingdom of Navarre.The city is famous worldwide for the San Fermín festival, from July 6 to 14, in which the running of the bulls is one of the main attractions... ; Cardinal-protector of the Order of Basilians Congregation of St. Basil The Basilian Fathers, also known as The Congregation of Saint Basil, is an international order of Catholic priests and students studying for the priesthood, who focus on education and ministering through oratories.... |
| Guillaume d'Estouteville, O.S.B.Cluny (Cardinal of Rouen) |
French | Bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina | 1439, December 18 | Pope Eugenius IV | Archbishop of Rouen Archbishop of Rouen The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Rouen is an Archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in France. As one of the fifteen Archbishops of France, the ecclesiastical province of the archdiocese comprises the majority of Normandy.... and administrator of the see of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne; Archpriest of the patriarchal Liberian Basilica; Cardinal-protector of the Order of Augustinians Augustinians The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:... |
| Juan de Torquemada Juan de Torquemada (Cardinal) Juan de Torquemada , or rather Johannes de Turrecremata, Spanish ecclesiastic, was born at Valladolid, and was educated in that city.... , O.P. (Cardinal of S. Sisto) |
Castilian Crown of Castile The Crown of Castile was a medieval and modern state in the Iberian Peninsula that formed in 1230 as a result of the third and definitive union of the crowns and parliaments of the kingdoms of Castile and León upon the accession of the then King Ferdinand III of Castile to the vacant Leonese throne... |
Priest of S. Maria in Trastevere | 1439, December 18 | Pope Eugenius IV | Administrator of the suburbicarian see of Palestrina; abbot commendatario of Subiaco Subiaco, Italy Subiaco is a town and comune in the Province of Rome, in Lazio, Italy, from Tivoli alongside the river Aniene. It is mainly renowned as a tourist and religious resort for its sacred grotto , in the St. Benedict's Abbey, and the other Abbey of St. Scholastica... |
| Pietro Barbo Pope Paul II Pope Paul II , born Pietro Barbo, was pope from 1464 until his death in 1471.- Early life :He was born in Venice, and was a nephew of Pope Eugene IV , through his mother. His adoption of the spiritual career, after having been trained as a merchant, was prompted by his uncle's election as pope... (Cardinal of S. Marco) |
Venetian Venice Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region... |
Priest of S. Marco | 1440, July 1 | Pope Eugenius IV (Cardinal-nephew Cardinal-nephew A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to... ) |
Bishop of Vicenza; Archpriest of the patriarchal Vatican Basilica |
| Antonio de la Cerda (Cardinal of Messina) |
Catalonia Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an... n |
Priest of S. Lucia in Septisolio | 1448, February 16 | Pope Nicholas V Pope Nicholas V Pope Nicholas V , born Tommaso Parentucelli, was Pope from March 6, 1447 to his death in 1455.-Biography:He was born at Sarzana, Liguria, where his father was a physician... |
Bishop of Lerida; administrator of the see of Giovinazzo Giovinazzo Giovinazzo is a port city situated on the Adriatic coast in the region of Apulia, southern Italy. Giovinazzo lies 18 km WNW of the provincial capital of Bari, and is adjacent to the city ofMolfetta.-History:... |
| Latino Orsini Latino Orsini Latino Orsini was an Italian Cardinal.He was of Roman branch of the Orsini family and the owner of rich possessions, He entered the ranks of the Roman clergy as a youth, became subdeacon, and as early as 10 March 1438, was raised to the Episcopal See of Conza in Southern Italy... (Cardinal Orsini) |
Roman Rome Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half... |
Priest of SS. Giovanni e Paolo | 1448, December 20 | Pope Nicholas V Pope Nicholas V Pope Nicholas V , born Tommaso Parentucelli, was Pope from March 6, 1447 to his death in 1455.-Biography:He was born at Sarzana, Liguria, where his father was a physician... |
Administrator of the see of Bari; Archpriest of the patriarchal Lateran Basilica |
| Alain de Coëtivy Alain de Coëtivy Alain de Coëtivy was a French prelate from a Breton noble family. He was bishop of Avignon, Uzès, Nîmes and of Dol, titular cardinal of Santa Prassede, then cardinal-bishop of Palestrina and cardinal-bishop of Sabina.... (Cardinal of Avignon) |
French | Priest of S. Prassede | 1448, December 20 | Pope Nicholas V Pope Nicholas V Pope Nicholas V , born Tommaso Parentucelli, was Pope from March 6, 1447 to his death in 1455.-Biography:He was born at Sarzana, Liguria, where his father was a physician... |
Bishop of Avignon and administrator of the sees of Nîmes Nîmes Nîmes is the capital of the Gard department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. Nîmes has a rich history, dating back to the Roman Empire, and is a popular tourist destination.-History:... and Dol Dol -Places:* Dol-de-Bretagne, a commune of the Ille-et-Vilaine département in France* Dol pri Borovnici, a village in Borovnica municipality, Slovenia* Dol pri Hrastniku, a village in Hrastnik municipality, Slovenia... |
| Filippo Calandrini Filippo Calandrini Filippo Calandrini was a half-brother of Pope Nicholas V, who named him bishop of Bologna in 1447 and Cardinal Priest in 1448. Grand penitentiary from 1459. He was also bishop of Albano and bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina . He died at Bagnoreggio, at the age of 73.-External links:*... (Cardinal of Bologna) |
Bolognese Bologna Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,... |
Priest of S. Lorenzo in Lucina | 1448, December 20 | Pope Nicholas V Pope Nicholas V Pope Nicholas V , born Tommaso Parentucelli, was Pope from March 6, 1447 to his death in 1455.-Biography:He was born at Sarzana, Liguria, where his father was a physician... (Cardinal-nephew Cardinal-nephew A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to... ) |
Bishop of Bologna |
| Luis Juan del Mila y Borja (Cardinal of Segorbe) |
Catalonia Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an... n |
Priest of SS. IV Coronati | 1456, February 20 | Pope Callixtus III Pope Callixtus III Pope Callixtus III , né Alfons de Borja, was Pope from April 8, 1455 to his death in 1458.-Biography:... (Cardinal-nephew Cardinal-nephew A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to... ) |
Administrator of the see of Segorbe Segorbe Segorbe is a municipality in the mountainous coastal province of Castelló, autonomous community of Valencia, Spain. The former Palace of the Dukes of Medinaceli now houses the city's mayor... ; Legate in Bologna Bologna Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,... |
| Juan de Mella (Cardinal of Zamora) |
Castilian Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... |
Priest of S. Prisca | 1456, December 17 | Pope Callixtus III Pope Callixtus III Pope Callixtus III , né Alfons de Borja, was Pope from April 8, 1455 to his death in 1458.-Biography:... |
Bishop of Zamora |
| Giovanni Castiglione (Cardinal of Pavia) |
Milan Milan Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,... ese |
Priest of S. Anastasia | 1456, December 17 | Pope Callixtus III Pope Callixtus III Pope Callixtus III , né Alfons de Borja, was Pope from April 8, 1455 to his death in 1458.-Biography:... |
Bishop of Pavia |
| Enea Silvio Piccolomini Pope Pius II Pope Pius II, born Enea Silvio Piccolomini was Pope from August 19, 1458 until his death in 1464. Pius II was born at Corsignano in the Sienese territory of a noble but decayed family... (Cardinal of Siena) |
Siena Siena Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008... |
Priest of S. Sabina | 1456, December 17 | Pope Callixtus III Pope Callixtus III Pope Callixtus III , né Alfons de Borja, was Pope from April 8, 1455 to his death in 1458.-Biography:... |
Bishop of Siena and bishop of Warmia |
| Giacomo Tebaldi (Cardinal of S. Anastasia) |
Neapolitan Naples Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples... |
Priest of S. Anastasia | 1456, December 17 | Pope Callixtus III Pope Callixtus III Pope Callixtus III , né Alfons de Borja, was Pope from April 8, 1455 to his death in 1458.-Biography:... |
Archbishop of Naples; Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals The Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals was the treasurer of that body.He administered all property, fees, funds and revenue belonging to the College of Cardinals, celebrated the requiem Mass for a deceased cardinal and was charged with the registry of the Acta Consistoralia.It is... |
| Prospero Colonna Prospero Colonna (cardinal) Prospero Colonna was a cardinal-nephew of Pope Martin V , whose election ended the Western Schism. Colonna was excommunicated for a period due to his rebellion against Martin V's successor, Pope Eugene IV, becoming one of the few excommunicated cardinals... (Cardinal Colonna) |
Roman Rome Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half... |
Deacon of S. Giorgio in Velabro | 1426, May 24 | Pope Martin V Pope Martin V Pope Martin V , born Odo Colonna, was Pope from 1417 to 1431. His election effectively ended the Western Schism .-Biography:... (cardinal-nephew Cardinal-nephew A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to... ) |
Protodeacon Protodeacon Protodeacon derives from the Greek proto- meaning 'first' and diakonos, which is a standard ancient Greek word meaning "servant", "waiting-man," "minister" or "messenger." The word in English may refer to various clergymen, depending upon the usage of the particular church in question.-Eastern... of the Sacred College of Cardinals |
| Jaime de Portugal (Cardinal of Portugal) |
Portuguese Portuguese people The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion.... |
Deacon of S. Eustachio | 1456, February 20 | Pope Callixtus III Pope Callixtus III Pope Callixtus III , né Alfons de Borja, was Pope from April 8, 1455 to his death in 1458.-Biography:... |
Archbishop of Lisbon; administrator of the see of Paphos Paphos Paphos , sometimes referred to as Pafos, is a coastal city in the southwest of Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos and New Paphos. The currently inhabited city is New Paphos. It lies on the Mediterranean coast, about west of the... |
| Rodrigo Borgia (Cardinal Vicechancellor) |
Catalonia Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an... n |
Deacon of S. Nicola in Carcere; commendatario of S. Maria in Via Lata |
1456, February 20 | Pope Callixtus III Pope Callixtus III Pope Callixtus III , né Alfons de Borja, was Pope from April 8, 1455 to his death in 1458.-Biography:... (Cardinal-nephew Cardinal-nephew A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to... ) |
Vice-Chancellor of the Holy Roman Church; Administrator of the see of Valencia Archdiocese of Valencia The Archdiocese of Valencia is a Catholic ecclesiastical territory located in north-eastern Spain, in the province of Valencia, part of the autonomous community of Valencia. The archdiocese heads the ecclesiastical province of Valencia, having Metropolitan authority over the suffragan dioceses of... ; generalissimo of the papal troops |
Eight electors were Italian, five Spaniards, two French, two Greeks and one Portuguese. Seven of them were created by Callistus III, six by Eugenius IV, four by Nicholas V and one by Martin V.
Absentees
Eight cardinals did not participate in this conclave:| Elector | Nationality | Cardinalatial Title | Elevated | Elevator | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pierre de Foix, O.F.M. (Cardinal of Foix) |
French | Bishop of Albano | September, 1414 | Antipope John XXIII Antipope John XXIII Baldassarre Cossa was Pope John XXIII during the Western Schism. The Catholic Church regards him as an antipope.-Biography:... |
Legate in Avignon; administrator of the sees of Arles Arles Arles is a city and commune in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, of which it is a subprefecture, in the former province of Provence.... , Lescar Lescar Lescar is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.Lescar is the site of the Roman city known variously as Benearnum, Beneharnum or Civitas Benarnensium. This was the original capital, and origin of the name, of the ancient province of Béarn.In 841, Benearnum was... and Dax Dax, Landes Dax is a commune in Aquitaine in south-western France, sub-prefecture of the Landes department.It is particularly famous as a spa, specialising in mud treatment for rheumatism and similar ailments.... |
| Petrus von Schaumberg (Cardinal of Augsburg) |
German | Priest of S. Vitale | 1439, December 18 | Pope Eugenius IV | Protopriest Protopriest Protopriest — in the College of Cardinals, is the first Cardinal-Priest in the order of precedence. This title is always attached to the most senior Cardinal Priest according to date of his creation. From the 17th century until the end of 19th century Protopriest usually opted for the titulus San... of the Sacred College of Cardinals; Bishop of Augsburg Bishop of Augsburg The Bishop of Augsburg is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Augsburg in the Ecclesiastical province of München und Freising.The diocese covers an area of 13,250 km².The current bishop is Konrad Zdarsa who was appointed in 2010.... |
| Dénes Szécsi (Cardinal of Esztergom) |
Hungarian Hungary Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The... |
Priest of S. Ciriaco | 1439, December 18 | Pope Eugenius IV | Archbishop of Esztergom; Chancellor of the Kingdom of Hungary Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders... |
| Ludovico Trevisan (Cardinal of Aquileia) |
Venetian Venice Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region... |
Priest of S. Lorenzo in Damaso | 1440, July 1 | Pope Eugenius IV | Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church; Patriarch of Aquileia Patriarch of Aquileia The Patriarch of Aquileia was an office in the Roman Catholic Church. During the Middle Ages the Patriarchate of Aquileia was a temporal state in Northern Italy. The Patriarchate of Aquileia as a church office was suppressed in 1752.... ; bishop of Cava; papal legate of the Mediterranean coasts and islands; Supreme Commander of the Papal Fleet; abbot commendatario of Montecassino |
| Juan de Carvajal (Cardinal of S. Angelo) |
Castilian Crown of Castile The Crown of Castile was a medieval and modern state in the Iberian Peninsula that formed in 1230 as a result of the third and definitive union of the crowns and parliaments of the kingdoms of Castile and León upon the accession of the then King Ferdinand III of Castile to the vacant Leonese throne... |
Priest of S. Lucia in Septisolio | 1446, December 16 | Pope Eugenius IV | Bishop of Plasencia; papal legate in Germany, Poland and Hungary |
| Jean Rolin Jean Rolin Jean Philippe Rolin is a French writer and journalist. He received the Albert Londres Prize for journalism in 1988, and his novel L'organisation received the Medicis award in 1996.... (Cardinal of Autun) |
French | Priest of S. Stefano al Monte Celio | 1448, December 20 | Pope Nicholas V Pope Nicholas V Pope Nicholas V , born Tommaso Parentucelli, was Pope from March 6, 1447 to his death in 1455.-Biography:He was born at Sarzana, Liguria, where his father was a physician... |
Bishop of Autun |
| Nicholas of Cues (Cardinal of S. Pietro in Vincoli) |
German | Priest of S. Pietro in Vincoli | 1448, December 20 | Pope Nicholas V Pope Nicholas V Pope Nicholas V , born Tommaso Parentucelli, was Pope from March 6, 1447 to his death in 1455.-Biography:He was born at Sarzana, Liguria, where his father was a physician... |
Bishop of Brixen; papal legate in Germany and England |
| Richard Olivier de Longueil (Cardinal of Coutances) |
French | Priest [no titulus assigned] | 1456, December 17 | Pope Callixtus III Pope Callixtus III Pope Callixtus III , né Alfons de Borja, was Pope from April 8, 1455 to his death in 1458.-Biography:... |
Bishop of Coutances |
Of the absentee cardinals four were creatures of Eugenius IV, two of Nicholas V and one of Callixtus III. Pierre de Foix was the last surviving cardinal of the Great Western Schism and was elevated by Pisan Antipope John XXIII
Antipope John XXIII
Baldassarre Cossa was Pope John XXIII during the Western Schism. The Catholic Church regards him as an antipope.-Biography:...
.
Among them there were three French, two Germans, one Spaniard, one Italian and the one Hungarian.
Candidates to the papacy
The principal concerns in the conclave of 1458 arose from the rapid rise of the effective power and influence of the French monarchy in the closing years of the Hundred Years War, which had recentely ended with the French victory. The principal Italian states – Kingdom of NaplesKingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...
, Republic of Genoa
Republic of Genoa
The Most Serene Republic of Genoa |Ligurian]]: Repúbrica de Zêna) was an independent state from 1005 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast, as well as Corsica from 1347 to 1768, and numerous other territories throughout the Mediterranean....
and Duchy of Milan
Duchy of Milan
The Duchy of Milan , was created on the 1st of may 1395, when Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Lord of Milan, purchased a diploma for 100,000 Florins from King Wenceslaus. It was this diploma that installed, Gian Galeazzo as Duke of Milan and Count of Pavia...
– feared a rebirth of French interest in Italian affairs and tried to prevent the elevation of a French pope at all costs. The official candidate of the Milanese was Domenico Capranica
Domenico Capranica
Domenico Capranica was an Italian theologian, canonist, statesman, and Cardinal.He was born in Capranica Prenestina. After studies in canon and civil law at Padua and Bologna, under teachers probably including Giuliano Cesarini, he received the title of Doctor of Both Laws at the age of twenty-one...
. The campaign for his election in the preconclave period was so successful that it appeared almost certain that he would be elected to the papacy. But Cardinal Capranica died suddenly on August 14, 1458, two days before the beginning of the conclave, leaving his party in a great confusion. Ottone de Carretto, ambassador of Milan in Rome, made the quick and unconsulted decision to support Cardinal Enea Piccolomini and managed to convince Latino Orsini, one of the most influential cardinals, to back him in this action. The principal candidate of the pro-French party was d'Estouteville. Bessarion, Torquemada and Calandrini also were considered papabile
Papabile
Papabile is an unofficial Italian term first coined by Vaticanologists and now used internationally in many languages to describe a cardinal of whom it is thought likely or possible that he will be elected pope. A literal English translation would be "popeable" or "one who might become pope".In...
.
The conclave
Eighteen cardinals entered the conclave in Vatican on August 16. Initially they subscribed the conclave capitulationConclave capitulation
A conclave capitulation is a capitulation drawn up by the College of Cardinals during a papal conclave, attempting to constrain the actions of the Pope elected by the conclave. Generally, all cardinals would swear to uphold it if elected Pope, and the capitulation would be finished before the first...
, which obliged the elect to continue the crusade against the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
and to give more welfare to poorer cardinals.
The first scrutiny took place only on August 18. Cardinals Piccolomini and Calandrini received five votes each, while none of the others obtained more than three. At this point French Cardinal d'Estouteville started the intensive simonical
Simony
Simony is the act of paying for sacraments and consequently for holy offices or for positions in the hierarchy of a church, named after Simon Magus , who appears in the Acts of the Apostles 8:9-24...
campaign for his own candidature. He promised the office of Vice-Chancellor to the Cardinal of Avignon and offered other bribes to the Greek cardinals. On August 18 in the evening he was certain that he would obtain at least eleven votes on the following morning But the opposite Italian party also didn't waste its time. During the night Cardinal Pietro Barbo
Pope Paul II
Pope Paul II , born Pietro Barbo, was pope from 1464 until his death in 1471.- Early life :He was born in Venice, and was a nephew of Pope Eugene IV , through his mother. His adoption of the spiritual career, after having been trained as a merchant, was prompted by his uncle's election as pope...
called together all the other Italian cardinals except Prospero Colonna and proposed to them that, of them all, the one most likely to obtain the required majority of two thirds was Piccolomini, and that all should support him on the following day.
Election of Pius II
Accessus
Accessus is a term applied to the voting in conclave for the election of a pope, by which a cardinal changes his vote and accedes to some other candidate. Accessus voting was first used in the papal conclave, 1455...
. There was a long silence broken by Rodrigo Borgia who changed his vote to Piccolomini. Then the partisans of d'Estouteville made an attempt to adjourn the session, but Cardinal Tebaldi also changed his vote to Piccolomini, who needed only one vote more for the election. At this point Cardinal Colonna arose and called out before anyone could have restrained him: "I also vote for the Cardinal of Siena and I make him Pope". The rest of the adherents of the Cardinal of Rouen could do nothing but change their votes too, and a few minutes later Cardinal Bessarion congratulated Piccolomini for his unanimous election to the papacy.
Cardinal Enea Silvio Piccolomini accepted his election and took the name Pius II. On September 3, 1458 he was solemnly crowned
Papal Coronation
A papal coronation was the ceremony of the placing of the Papal Tiara on a newly elected pope. The first recorded papal coronation was that of Pope Celestine II in 1143. Soon after his coronation in 1963, Pope Paul VI abandoned the practice of wearing the tiara. His successors have chosen not to...
in the steps of the patriarchal Vatican Basilica by Cardinal Prospero Colonna
Prospero Colonna (cardinal)
Prospero Colonna was a cardinal-nephew of Pope Martin V , whose election ended the Western Schism. Colonna was excommunicated for a period due to his rebellion against Martin V's successor, Pope Eugene IV, becoming one of the few excommunicated cardinals...
, protodeacon
Protodeacon
Protodeacon derives from the Greek proto- meaning 'first' and diakonos, which is a standard ancient Greek word meaning "servant", "waiting-man," "minister" or "messenger." The word in English may refer to various clergymen, depending upon the usage of the particular church in question.-Eastern...
of S. Giorgio in Velabro.
Sources
- Gerard Noel, The Renaissance Popes: Statesmen, Warriors and the Great Borgia Myth, Carrol & Graf, 2006
- Salvador Miranda: conclave of 1458
- Francis Burkle-Young “Papal elections in the Fifteenth Century: the election of Pius II
Vatican History: Konklave 1458