Alexander III (pope)

Alexander III d. 1181, pope (1159-81), a Sienese named Rolandus [Bandinelli?], successor of Adrian IV. He was a canonist who had studied law under Gratian and had taught at Bologna. He came to Rome under Eugene III, was made a cardinal, and became a trusted adviser of Adrian IV. Alexander's election to the papacy was opposed by a few cardinals, who elected an antipope, Victor IV. Although the antipope was supported only by Germany and some Lombards, the schism thus begun continued until 1178 with antipopes Paschal III and Calixtus III. Alexander was forced (1162) by Emperor Frederick I into exile in France. In the long struggle with the emperor, the pope was aided by the Lombard League , which named the town of Alessandria for him. After the battle of Legnano (1176), the emperor was forced to submit. Alexander had already (1174) received the penance of Henry II of England for the murder of St. Thomas Becket, whom Alexander had canonized in 1173. He convened and presided at the Third Lateran Council . One of the great medieval popes, he issued many decretals, established the procedure for canonizing saints, inaugurated the two-thirds rule for papal elections, protected the universities, and was one of the most distinguished champions of ecclesiastical independence in the Middle Ages. He was succeeded by Lucius III.

Bibliography: See biography by Cardinal Boso (tr. 1973) and R. Somerville and K. Pennington, Law, Church, and Society, (1977).

Alexander III (d. 1181), Pope from 1159. During the 17-year schism occasioned by the establishment of an antipope ( Victor IV) supported by the Emp. Frederick I, Alexander lived mainly in France. Here he came into contact with Henry II of England over the Becket affair. Though embarrassed by the archbishop, he was firm in imposing penance for his murder. In 1179 he assembled the Third Lateran Council (q.v.). He encouraged the scholastic revival of the 12th cent., but it is unlikely that he wrote the ‘Decretum’ of Gratian or the ‘Sententiae Rolandi’ long ascribed to him.

Alexander III (c.1105–81) Pope (1159–81), b. Orlando Bandinelli. Emperor Frederick I opposed his election to the papacy and had an antipope, Victor IV, appointed. The ensuing schism ended 17 years later with the victory of the Lombard League over Frederick at the Battle of Legnano.