Pope Callisto III – Wikipedia

Callisto 3 , nato Alfons de Borja and Cabanilles , in latino Callistus 3 (Xàtiva, 31 December 1378 – Rome, 6 August 1458), was the 209th Pope of the Catholic Church from 1455 to death.

Alfonso De Borgia was born on 31 December 1378 in Torre del Canals, in Játiva, near Valencia, Spain, in one of the most important families of Játiva. It was precisely the firstborn son of Domingo de Borgia, a small landowner and a gentleman of the countryside and Francina Llançol ^[first] . Alfonso had four sisters: Isabella, Giovanna, Catalina and Francesca. It was baptized in the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria a Torre del Canals.

Initially, he studied grammar, logic and arts at the School of Valencia and then from 1392 he studied at the University of Lleida obtaining the doctorate In both right ^[2] . Expense the beginning of his career as a professor by right to Lleida ^[2] And therefore as a diplomat at the service of the kings of Aragon, in particular during the Council of Basel. Reader of the University of Lleida, in 1408 the antipope Benedict XIII appointed him councilor e official ^{[ not clear ]} of the diocese of Lleida as well as, from 1411, canon of the chapter of the diocesan cathedral ^[first] .

At the service of Alfonso d’Aragona [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

The rapid rise (1416-1429) [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

Elected delegate to the diocese of Lleida at the Council of Costanza in 1416, he did not take part in the assembly since shortly after King Alfonso V of Aragon ascene to the throne and opposed the celebration of the Council; For this reason, the then Canonico Borgia went to Barcelona to represent its diocese at the Synod of the Church of Aragon.

In 1418 ^[first] He was in charge, with the permission of Cardinal Alamanno Adimari, Archbishop of Pisa, who served as a correspondent of Pope Martino V, to obtain the support of King Alfonso V. Borgia strenuously dealt to restore the unity of the Church and his influence on the Aragonese monarch, understanding that this was one of the decisive parties for the conclusion of an agreement between the king and the new Pope; As a reward, he also received the canonical of the chapter of the Cathedral of Barcelona ^[first] . In 1418 he was appointed rector of the church of San Nicola a Valencia. From 1420 to 1423 ^[first] It was in Italy and from May 13 of that last year he was in Los Alfaques and then in December in Barcelona. From 1420 to 1423 ^[first] He was also vice-chalking of the University of Lleida, then resigning his positions to dedicate all his energies to the Diplomatic Service of the Spanish King.

The episcopate of Valencia (1429-1442) [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

In charge of the king and Martino V of obtaining the peaceful resignation of Clement VIII, Alfonso Borgia went in 1429 in his castle of Peñíscola, where he managed to convince the antipope ^[2] . As a reward, Alfonso Borgia obtained to be elevated to the full episcopate and was elected bishop of Valencia on August 20, 1429, keeping the assignment until his death (even after his pontiff elevation). Consecrated on August 31, 1429 at the hands of Cardinal Pietro di Foix ^[first] , authorized Pedro Lloréns to take possession of the headquarters in his name. In 1432, the king called him from Italy to resume his position as a real councilor and had even meditated to send him to the Council of Basel, who was taking place in that same year, but for different reasons the Council took place without the participation of Borgia , which instead was in Tarazona, in order to conclude some negotiations with Castile, and then move to Navarra. In 1436, he obtained the protection of the illegitimate son of King Alfonso ^[first] , Ferrante, and in 1439 he led the Aragonese delegation to the Council of Florence, establishing the first contacts with the Papal Court thanks to the personal friendship that tied him to the Cardinals Bessarione and Giuliano Cesarini.

In Naples at the service of King Alfonso (1442-1444) [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

When in 1442 King Alfonso V began the Aragon dynasty in Naples ^[first] Borgia was commissioned to reorganize the kingdom judicial system. It was also the president of the Royal Council from 1442 to 1444. In 1443, the Pope, feudal lord of the Kingdom of Naples, recognized the right to reign in Alfonso, thus recognizing the kingdom Both Sicily (“Kingdom of the Two Sicilies”). Previously Borgia had opposed the project of King Alfonso to support the Council of Basel, Ferrara and Florence to force Pope Eugene IV to recognize his claims on the throne of Naples ^[3] . It was Borgia himself who negotiated, representing Alfonso V, the final agreement between the King of Aragon and the Pope who culminated in the Terracina Treaty (June 1443) signed by Cardinal Trevisan and ratified by the Pope on the next 15th July ^[4] .

The cardinalate (1444) and austere life [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

Alfonso Borgia became cardinal after favoring the reconciliation of Pope Eugene IV with King Alfonso V of Aragon. Cardinal presbyter was created in the Contestory of 2 May 1444 ^[5] And he made his formal entrance to Rome on 12 July of that same year, at the same time receiving the cardinal title of the saints four crowned. He took a stable residence in Rome, in a building at the Colosseum, preferring to abandon his positions at the Aragonese court to devote himself to the service of the church, leading austere and morigerated life ^[6] . On April 10, 1446 he enrolled in the brotherhood of the Holy Spirit in Rome and was introduced to the Roman Curia from 21 February 1447. He took part in the conclave of 1447 which elected Pope Niccolò V, of which followed the consistory of 27 October 1451.

Borgia was chosen as a pontiff in the conclave of 1455 at 76 years, a very advanced age for the time, as a compromise candidate. ^[2] Since Cardinal Favorito, Bessarione, was Greek and that the other candidate was linked to the column, Alfonso Borgia was chosen, who was crowned on April 20, 1455 ^[first] On the steps of the ancient Basilica of San Pietro in the Vatican at the hands of Cardinal Prospero Colonna, Protodiacono di San Giorgio in Velabro.

Government of the Church [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

Although almost octogenear and acciato, Callisto III gave himself body and soul to the organization of the crusade against the Turks who had taken Constantinople in 1453, but despite his efforts (he organized with the funds of the church a fleet of sixteen galleys ^[7] ) Christian principles did not show themselves willing to collect his call ^[first] . The only satisfaction came to him when the Hungarian regent Giovanni Hunyadi and the Franciscan friar San Giovanni da Capestrano beat the Turks of Muhammad II in Belgrade in July 1456 ^[7] . As thanks, Pope Callisto inserted the transfiguration party in the Roman liturgical calendar with the bubble With these previous years ^{[8] [9]} .

Although Callisto was austere and integral in the costumes ^[5] , his brief pontificate saw the social and ecclesiastical rise of many of his compatriots, especially of his two grandchildren Luis Juan de Milá, former bishop of segorbe, and of Rodrigo Borgia, at the time only twenty -five years old ^[7] . A third nephew, Pedro Luis, remained in the lay state but was appointed governor of Castel Sant’Angelo, general captain of the church, Duke of Spoleto, governor of Terni, Narni, Todi, Rieti, Orvieto, of the province of the heritage and prefect of Rome ^{[first] [7]} . Callisto needed yes of people trusted in the government of the Church and the Papal States, but his appointments were deleterious for the well -being of the Church, if at his death the Romans, indignant of these favorites and instigated by the Orsini (opposed by Callisto, ally of the Column), the houses of the hated Catalan were on fire ^{[7] [9]} . The nefarious consequences made themselves felt long lasting: Rodrigo Borgia dominated the Curia as vice-changing since the pontificate of the uncle ^[ten] onwards, favoring corruption and malpractice.

Callisto had the merit, in 1456, to call a new trial for Giovanna D’Arco, in which he was exonerated by the accusations after death on June 16th ^{[first] [9]} .

Contrast to the Ottoman epansionism [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

In 1453 the Ottomans had conquered Constantinople, ending the Roman Eastern Empire. Just two years later the Sultan Mehmed II planned the invasion of Hungary. Going up the Balkans, the first city of the Hungarian territory was nándorfeérvár on the Danube (the current Belgrade, capital of Serbia. Christians. The city, defended by Hungarian Giovanni Hunyadi and Abruzzo Giovanni da Capestrano, managed to break the siege.

Callisto 3 e la culture [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

A very particular characteristic for a fifteenth -century Pope was his disinterest in humanism. Although not hostile to the movement ^[9] (as Paul II, on a certain verse), Callisto had not absorbed the love for classical antiquity, demonstrating indifference to the Vatican Apostolic Library. Indeed, to finance his crusade, Callisto sells silver bindings of precious books ^[2] .

Clash with Ferrante d’Aragona [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

When Ferrante, an illegitimate son of Alfonso who had been recognized as legitimate sovereign by the previous Popes: Eugenio and Niccolò succeeded the throne of Naples, Pope Callisto III, poorly arranged against him, even if he had been his teacher for many years when he was at the service Of the father, with the bubble of 12 July he declared the throne of Naples vacant not recognizing Ferrante’s succession because, according to him, he was not a legitimate son, nor natural of Alfonso V of Aragon, but the son of a Moro servant. In fact, he wanted to remove the kingdom from Ferrante to give him to Pier Luigi Borgia his nephew, he already made Duke of Spoleto, which was why he had posted posters placed in different places in the kingdom, where he was reported that the kingdom of Naples would be devolved to the Roman Church and that the Pope would have acquitted all those who had sworn loyalty to Ferrante, also ordered all the clergy, barons, cities and peoples of the kingdom who, under penalty of excommunication, did not obey Ferrante and did not keep him as a sovereign, nor nor they swore more loyalty. ^{[11] [twelfth]}

Callisto, always relentless and obstinate, refused every means of intercession; So much so that Ferrante was delighted to send ambassadors to the Pope in the name of the kingdom. The latter nevertheless found the infirm Pope and therefore were not admitted to his hearing. ^[11]

The advanced age, the many sorrows suffered and in addition the melancholy for understanding that King John would not have conquered the kingdom of Naples led the pontiff to death, without having achieved his goal. ^{[11] [13]}

Death and burial [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

Callisto III died in Rome on August 6, 1458 ^[first] And he was buried in a sumptuous monument commissioned by his nephew, Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia, in the chapel of Santa Maria della Fever, not far from the Basilica of San Pietro. Fragments of this original monument are found today in the Vatican caves, as during the reconstruction of the Basilica its remains were transferred from 1586 elsewhere always within the church, where they remained until 1605.

Subsequently, on January 30, 1610 his remains together with those of Pope Alexander were transferred to the church of Santa Maria in Monserrato ^[first] , Church of the Aragonese in Rome. On August 21, 1889 his remains were translated into a modern tomb, the work of the Spanish sculptor Felipe Moratilla, having two medallions on the front depicting the two popes, in the Chapel of San Diego, in the church of Santa Maria in Montserrato (today Spanish national church ). In his testament he left 5,000 ducats for the foundation of a hospital in the house where he lived as a cardinal.

During his pontificate, Pope Callisto III created nine cardinals during two distinct conchosts. ^[14]

Episcopal genealogy is:

The apostolic succession is:

Pope Callisto III is played by Joseph Ruttt in the film 2006 The Conclave . ^[15]

• Julius hair, Italian humanism from Petrarch to Valla , Carocci Editore, 2010, ISBN 978-88-430-5405-3
• Claudio Rendina, The Popi-Storia and Secrets , Newton & Compton Editori, Ariccia 2005
• John N.D. Kelly, Lives of the Popes , Piemme, Casale Monferrato 2005
• BEADITI BLOARGI, The lives of king of Naples, collected succinctly with any accuracy , Napoli, F. Pierteri, 1737.

• Giorgio Falco, Callisto 3, Papa , in Italian Encyclopedia , Institute of the Italian Encyclopedia, 1930.
• ( IN ) Papa Callisto 3 . are British encyclopedia Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
• Michael Mallett, Callisto 3, Papa , in Biographical Dictionary of Italians , vol. 16, Institute of the Italian Encyclopedia, 1973.
• ( IS ) Papa Callisto 3 , in Spanish biographical dictionary , Royal Academy of History.
• ( IN ) Papa Callisto 3 . are Goodreads .
• ( IN ) Papa Callisto 3 , in Catholic Encyclopedia , Robert Appleton Company.
• ( IN ) David M. Cheney, Papa Callisto 3 , in Catholic Hierarchy .
• ( IN ) Salvador Miranda, Borja, Alfonso de . are fiu.edu – The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church , Florida International University.
• Biography of Pope Callisto III in the Encyclopedia of the Papi Treccani
• Biography of Pope Alexander VI . are treccani.it .
• Transfiguration party . are Santiebeati.it .
• While grieve your mind . are Vatican.va .
• Cardinals appointed by Pope Callisto III . are Araldicavaticana.com .