Martin V, Pope

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MARTIN V, POPE

Pontificate: Nov. 11, 1417 to Feb. 20, 1431; b. Oddo colonna in Genazzano, Italy, 1368; d. Rome. The only pope from this old Roman family, Martin was elected at the Council of constance after a long discussion on electoral procedure and a very brief conclave, in which 22 cardinals and 30 deputies from the five nations participating in the council voted. He soon won general recognition, except in Aragon, where a minor schism (antipopes

benedict xiii and Clement VIII) lasted until 1429. Emperor sigismund attempted to detain the pope in Germany; the French offered him avignon as a residence. But the council ended on April 22, 1418, and the pope left for Rome on May 16. However, he had to wait more than a year in Florence before he could finally enter Rome on Sept. 28, 1420. His return was of crucial importance for the future of the papacy and of the states of the church.

The pope energetically addressed himself to restoring the prestige of the papacy, which had suffered grievously during the western schism. He initiated an extensive correspondence with all European sovereigns and sent numerous embassies on peace missions, especially to England and France, which were involved in the Hundred Years' War. He devoted special attention to the campaign against the hussites. The Roman curia was reorganized in accord with the decrees of Constance, the curial officials of both Rome and Avignon were united, and a model administration built up. When the five-year concordats made at Constance expired, Martin returned to the old policy of papal reservations as far as the ecclesiastical policy of the individual states allowed. In the protracted and stubborn negotiations with Aragon, Martin made great concessions to the king; the Concordat of Genazzano (1426) with france contained provisions favorable to the Curia; Martin failed to get the hated regulations on the award of benefices in England revoked (see praemunire, statute of; provisors, statute of). Yet the net result of these negotiations proved tolerable in practice. Of greater importance for the history of the papacy was Martin's restoration of papal power and hegemony in the Papal States—a restoration he pursued with the greatest energy and with all the means at his disposal. First of all, the dangerous condottiere Braccio di Montone was blocked and then overcome at the battle of Aquila by a great array of papal troops. Next, the pope successfully countered the attempt of King Alfonso V of Aragon to take Naples. He put down by force of arms the revolt in Bologna in 1429. To secure his power the pope maintained strong troop concentrations, and a large portion of papal revenues went to paying these troops.

In Rome the vatican and Lateran basilicas were again restored and the streets widened. Rome and Constantinople were in constant contact, the Greek embassy at the Council of Constance having already held forth prospects of reunion and of a council in Constantinople. But the negotiations foundered on the political situation and on the emperor's demand that every controversial question be exhaustively examined at such a council. In exact accord with the decree Frequens, the pope convoked a council in Pavia in 1423, moved it to Siena, and then dissolved it because of poor attendance and its tendency to adopt radical decrees. Likewise in accord with Frequens, he announced a council in basel for 1431 and named Cardinal cesarini presiding officer. Though Martin had been a strong supporter of the Council of pisa (1409) and its conciliarism, and though as pope he devoted himself to the program outlined at Constance, especially to the reform of the Church, he wisely and successfully opposed any overly strict limitation of papal power.

Bibliography: Acta Concilii Constanciensis, ed. h. finke, 4v. (Münster 1896–1928) v. 4. Repertorium Germanicum (Berlin 1916) v. 4 Martin V., 1417–1431, ed. k. a. fink (Berlin 1943–58). k. a. fink, "Die politische Korrespondenz Martins V. nach den Brevenregistern," Quellen und Forschungen aus italienischen Archiven und Bibliotheken 26 (1935–36) 172–244; "Martin V. und Bologna, 1428–1429," ibid. 23 (1931–32) 182–217; "Die Sendung des Kardinals von Pisa nach Aragon im Jahre 1418," Römische Quartalschrift für christliche Altertumskunde und für Kirchengeschichte 41 (1933) 45–59; Martin V. und Aragon (Berlin 1938); "Papsttum und Kirchenreform nach dem grossen Schisma," Theologische Quartalschrift 126 (1946) 110–122; "Zur Beurteilung des grossen abendländischen Schismas," Zeitschrift für Kirchengeschichte 73 (1962) 335–343; "Die Wahl Martins V.," in Das Konzil von Konstanz, ed. a. franzen and w. mÜller (Freiburg 1964) 138–151. j. haller, "England und Rom unter Martin V.," Quellen und Forschungen aus italienischen Archiven und Bibliotheken 8 (1905) 249–304. r. loenertz, "Les Dominicains byzantins … et les négociations pour l'union … 1415 à 1430," Archivum Fratrum Praedicatorum 9 (1939) 5–61. p. partner, The Papal State under Martin V (London 1958). w. j. koudelka, "Eine neue Quelle zur Generalsynode von Siena 1423–1424," Zeitschrift für Kirchengeschichte 74 (1963) 244–264. p. de vooght, "Le Conciliarisme aux conciles de Constance et de Bâle," in Le Concile et les conciles (Chevetogne 1960) 143–181, but see irénikon 36 (1963) 61–75; "Le Concile oecuménique de Constance et le conciliarisme," Istina 9 (1963) 57–86. r. bÄumer, "Das Verbot der Konzilsappellation Martins V. in Konstanz," in Das Konzil von Konstanz, op. cit. 187–213. v. laurent, "Les Préliminaires du concile de Florence. Les Neuf articles du pape Martin V et la réponse inédite du patriarche de Constantinople Joseph II (Octobre 1422)," Revue des études byzantines 20 (1962) 5–60. j.n. d. kelly, Oxford Dictionary of Popes (New York 1986) 239–241.