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Name:
Callistus III
Born: Alphonso de Borgia
Preceded by: Nicholas V (1447 - 1455)
Succeeded by: Pius II (1458 - 1464)
Roman Catholic Pope #210
Dates:
Born: December 31, 1378 (Spain)
Died: August 6, 1458
Pope: April 8, 1455 - August 6, 1458 (5 years)
Biography:
Callistus III was born into the infamous Borgia family and one of the nephews which he
named as cardinal would himself later become pope and take the name Pope Alexander VI. The
only reason that Callistus appears to have been elected in the first place was that he was
so old and feeble that all of the cardinals considered him a safe compromise. He didn't
really do much and, in fact, spent much of his reign in bed, sick.
Just about the only thing he did do was call for a Crusade against the Turks who had captured Constantinople in 1453, but this didn't amount to much because he was unable to find any Christian rulers who were interested in such an expidition. All that happened was that a small fleet sailed up and down the coast of Asia for three years, capturing a couple of islands.
In 1456 Calllistus had the case of Joan of Arc reopened and eventually had her cleared of the charges of heresy and witchcraft - 25 years after she had been burned at the stake. That same year he also placed increased emphasis on a number of anti-Jewish laws.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: Callixtus II
Common Misspellings: none
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