CALLISTUS
187
CALLISTUS
Biographies of Callistus II have been written by Panpulphps
Aletrincs, Aragonius, and IU.rn ardus Guioonis (Mura-
tohi Script. Rer.Ital.. Ill, 1,4181. Cf. Watterich, Vita Rom.
Pordif., II. ll~>; Mir.NE, P. L„ CLXIII, 1071; Robert, Bullain
du pave Cahxle II (Paris, 1891); Maiirer, Paptt ' 'alixtus II. ill ! parts iMimi.'h, lssii. 18MH. For the Svnod of Vie. Mansi. XXI, 175, and IIahdouin, VI, 2, 1752. For the Synod of Reims. Mansi. XXI. 187, and Hefele, ConcUienqesch., V, 344; Hallfr, Die \',rhand! unijen :u Mouzon (1119), etc. in Heidelberger Jahrbiicher, 1S92, For Concordat of Worms, see Mansi. XXI. L>7:>. L'S7, and Jaffe, Bibl. Rer. Germ., V. 383, also Munch, Vollslaiulni Sni>inih/ng alter Concordat*-, I (Leipziff. ISoOl. and Nrssl. fatireufianes de Rebtla Kreles.
fMajnz, 1S70); Bi iiniii im, /. ' IVormser Kon-
i < Leipzig, 1878); Breslac, Die kaisediche Aasferfiguno dea Wormser Konkordatc-s in Bfitteil. de& Institute f>ir Oester- n ich. Gesch., 1S85.
James MacCaffrey.
Callistus III, Pope, b. near Valencia in Spain, 31 December, 1378; d. at Rome, 6 August, 1458. Alfonso de Borja (Ital. Borgia), as he was known before he became pope, came of a noble family, and having finished his studies espoused the cause of the antipopc Benedict XIII, and received from the latter the title of canon. When Alfonso V of .Ara- gon resolved to withdraw from the Schism and place himself and his kingdom under the jurisdict io n ol Martin V, Alfonso Borgia acted the I >art of mediator with Benedict 's successor, Clement VIII, and induced "^^■^^^" the latter to sub-
Callxstus III Commemoration mit to the lawful Medal, British Mi seqm pope. Martin V
appointed Borgia Bishop of Valencia (1429), and in 1444 Eugene IV made him cardinal. In both lie was remarkable for his mortified life his firmness of purpose, and his prudence in face of serious difficulties. Already popular opinion had in irked him as a candidate for the papacy.
On the 25th of March. 1455, Nicholas V died, and Alfonso Borgia was elected (X April) and assumed the name of Callistus III. As pope he was chiefly concerned with the organization i>f Christian Europe against the invasion of the Turks. Constantinople had been captured by Mohammed II (1453), and though Pope Nicholas Y had made every effort nothing had been done to stay the victorious march of the forces of Islam. Already, as cardinal. Callistus had mani- fested a special interest in this work, and on his election he set himself to carry out the programme which he had already planned. Nuncios were dispatched to all the countries of Europe to beseech Hie princes Pi forge! for a time their national jeal- and to join once more in a final effort to check the danger of a Turkish invasion. Missionaries were sent to England, France, Germany, Hungary, Portugal, and Aragon to preach the Crusade, to volunteers i"r active service in the wars, to collect the taxes necessary for the support of those in ili.> field, and to engage the prayers of the faith- ful fur the sued 88 of the enterprise. It was by order of Callistus 111 that I he bells were rung at midday to remind the faithful that they should pray for the welfare ol the crusaders.
But the princes Of Europe were slow in responding
to the call "f the p.ipe. In Germany, Frederick III, through hatred ol Ladislaus of Hungary, was un- willing to join a movement from which Hungary was certain to derive an immediate advantage, while the bishops and electors were opposed to the collec- i ion of the papal tax imposed in favour of the
crusaders. England and France were at war and
refused to allow their forces to be weakened by par-
ticipation in the plans of Callistus III. Genoa did
organize a fleet and dispatch it against the Turks,
but only to lay herself open to attack by Aragon,
wdiile Portugal, disheartened by lack of success,
withdrew the fleet that it had already dispatched.
Fortunately for Europe, the efforts of the pope were
not entirely in vain. The crusading forces led by
Hunyady, and inspired by the zeal and courage of the
papal legate Carvajal and St. John Capistran, met
the Turks at Belgrade (22 .Inly. 1456) and inflicted
upon them one of the worst defeats they underwent
during their long conflict with Christian Europe.
The pope had longed for such a success in the hope
that it might encourage the princes of Europe to
respond to his call for assistance. The news of the
victory was duly announced to the courts by special
messengers of the pope, but warm congratulations
were the only reply. Unfortunately, too, shortly
after his victory over Mohammed II at Belgrade,
Hunyady himself died of a fever, and it seemed as
if no Christian general could be found equal to the
task of saving Europe.
In the next year of this pontificate renewed efforts were made to enlist 'die co-operation of Germany. The pope endeavoured to make peace between Frederick III and Ladislaus of Hungary, but during the negotiations Ladislaus died (1457), after a reign of seven years, and his death was the occasion of renewed disputes between the three great repre- sentatives of the House of Hapsburg, Frederick III, Albrecht VI. and Sigismund of Tyrol. In Albania alone was found a leader, Scanderbeg, who had steadily resisted the invasion of the Turks, and against whom all the powers of Mohammed were un- availing. Callistus III summoned (1457) another assembly of the princes of Europe to devise measures against the inroads of Mohammed. But again his efforts were unavailing. In France, the Dauphin was in favour of the proposals of Callistus, but the king refused to join in the enterprise, and the clergy were so discontented with the levy of the crusading tax that in many provinces they refused to pay. anil appealed to a general council. Similar sentiments of distrust and resentment were felt by the clergy and the prince-electors of the German Empire. England, on account of the war against the allied powers, France and Scotland, was unwilling to em- bark in any new expedition. The war between Aragon and Genoa continued, while, as usual, Venice was more anxious to promote her own commerce than to take part in the destruction of the Turkish fleet. In Bohemia disputes raged about the suc- cession to the throne, and even when an assembly of the nobles declared in favour of George Von Podiebrad, lie was too much concerned in trying to reconcile his Catholic and (Jtraquist .subjects, and to secure an understanding with Frederick III, to permit himself to join in the Crusade. Hungary, too. was distracted by the disputes between the rival claimants to the throne. William of Saxony and Casimir of Poland, in the names of their wives, put forward pretensions, but found little or no support from the people of Hungary. A national assembly held at Pesth chose as kin;; Matthias Hunyady, a
son of the conqueror of Belgrade, but the rival partie
refused to submit to this choice. At last (1459)
they proceeded to the election of Frederick III. The
result of so many disputes was that the countries most closely affected bj the Turkish danger were unable to do anything, and though the younger Hunyady was anxious to follow in the footsteps of
his father, and to join in tin | a] al i las foi a general
crusade, he was loo much occupied with provisions against internal disorder and the pretensions of Frederick III to be able to lend any real assistance.
