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Name:
Antipope Alexander IV
Born: Peter Philarges
Pope: Gregory XII (1406 - 1415)
Dates:
Born: c. 1339 (Crete)
Died: May 3, 1410
Antipope: June 26, 1409 - May 3, 1410 (1 year)
Biography:
During the Great Western Schism when the Catholic Church was divided between two rival popes, one in Rome and one in Avignon, Philarges supported Urban VI in Rome - the person recognized today as having been the rightful and valid pope at the time. Pope Innocent VII made Philarges a cardinal and he was active at the Council of Pisa, designed to heal the division and reunited the two battling halves of the church. This outraged Pope Greagory XII, who wanted to dissenters to simply submit to him, and Philarges was stripped of his position.
At the council, though, the cardinals in attendance elected Philarges as pope, presuming that neither of the current rivals for the chair were truly valid., but neither of the rivals agreed to this resolution. As a consequence Philarges, a man who was devoted to healing the schism, launched a new schismatic line of Pisan antipopes. He adopted the name Alexander V and acquired some political support for his efforts but never got very far. He was succeed by Baldasssare Cosa (John XXIII).
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
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