, originally called Francis Albisola Della Rovera, is said by some writers to have been the son of a fisherman at
, originally called Francis Albisola Della
Rovera, is said by some writers to have been the son of a
fisherman at Celles, a village live leagues from Savona in
the territory of Genoa, but others derive him from a branch
of a noble family. He was born in 1413, entered the Franciscan order, took a doctor’s degree at Padua, and taught
with reputation in the universities of Bologna, Pavia, Sienna,
Florence, and Perugia. After this he became general of
the Franciscans, then cardinal through the interest of cardinal Bessarion, and at length pope, August 9, 1471, on
the death of Paul II. He immediately armed a fleet
against the Turks, and displayed great magnificence and
liberality during his whole pontificate. He was almost the
founder of, and certainly greatly enriched the Vatican library, and entrusted the care of it to the learned Platina.
He published a bull, March 1, 1746, granting indulgences
to those who should celebrate the festival of the Immaculate Conception of the Holy Virgin; the first decree of the
Roman church concerning that festival. The establishment of the feast of St. Joseph, for which Gerson had
taken great pains, is also ascribed to this pope. Historians
have reproached him with conniving at the vices of his
nephews, being too violent against the Medici family and
the Venetians, and having joined in the conspiracy of the
Pazzi at Florence. There seems upon the whole to have
been little in his character to command the respect of posterity, except his patronage of literature. He died
August 13, 1484, aged 71. Before his election to the pontificate, he wrote the following treatises “De Sanguine
Christi,
” Rome, De futuris contigentibus
” “De potentia Dei;
” “De Conceptione beatse
V.irginis,
” &c.; a very scarce work is also attributed to him,
entitled “Regulne Cuncellariae,
” La Banque Romaine,
”