Pope Alexander IV facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pope Alexander IV
Bishop of Rome
Church	Catholic Church
Papacy began	12 December 1254
Papacy ended	25 May 1261
Predecessor	Innocent IV
Successor	Urban IV
Orders
Consecration	March 1235
Created Cardinal	18 September 1227
Personal details
Birth name	Rinaldo di Jenne
Born	1199 or c. 1185 Jenne, Papal States
Died	(1261-05-25)25 May 1261 Viterbo, Papal States
Previous post	Cardinal-Deacon of Sant'Eustachio (1227–1232) Cardinal-Bishop of Ostia (1232–1254)
Signature
Coat of arms
Other Popes named Alexander

Pope Alexander IV was the leader of the Catholic Church. He was also the ruler of the Papal States. He served as Pope from December 12, 1254, until his death in 1261. He was born around 1199 or 1185 and passed away on May 25, 1261.

Early Life and Church Career

Pope Alexander IV was born as Rinaldo di Jenne in a town called Jenne. His mother's family, the de' Conti di Segni, included other important popes like Pope Innocent III and Pope Gregory IX.

His uncle, Pope Gregory IX, helped him start his career in the Church.

• In 1227, he became a cardinal deacon. This is a high-ranking position in the Church.
• He also became the Protector of the Franciscan Order. This meant he looked after this group of monks.
• From 1227 to 1231, he was the Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church. This role involved managing the Church's money.
• In 1231 or 1232, he became the Bishop of Ostia.
• By 1244, he was the Dean of the College of Cardinals. This made him the leader of all the cardinals.

When Pope Innocent IV died in 1254, Rinaldo di Jenne was chosen as the new Pope. This happened in Naples on December 12, 1254.

Key Actions as Pope

During his time as Pope, Alexander IV tried to bring different Christian churches back together. He also supported the mendicant orders, which were groups of monks who lived by begging. He also helped set up the Inquisition in France. This was a system to investigate beliefs that went against Church teachings.

Supporting the Church and Faith

On September 26, 1255, Pope Alexander IV officially made Clare of Assisi a saint. She was the founder of a religious group for women called the Poor Clares.

He also confirmed something special about Francis of Assisi. On October 29, 1255, he stated that he knew Saint Francis had received the stigmata. This refers to marks on the body that look like the wounds of Jesus Christ.

Dealing with New Ideas

In 1256, Pope Alexander IV spoke out against the ideas of Joachim of Fiore. Joachim was a prophet who had died in 1202. His ideas were popular with some Franciscans. Joachim believed that a "Third Age" would begin in 1260. In this new age, the Church's leaders would no longer be needed. The Pope did not like this idea because it challenged the Church's structure. The year 1260 came and went, and Joachim's prediction did not come true.

Magic and Beliefs

On September 27, 1258, Pope Alexander IV issued a rule about magic. He said that Church investigators, called Inquisitors, should not look into "divination or sorcery." These were seen as superstitions. However, if magic involved "manifest heresy," like praying to idols or talking to demons, then the Inquisitors could investigate. At that time, using magic was not always considered heresy unless it involved beliefs that went against the core teachings of the Church.

Politics and Conflicts

Before Alexander IV became Pope, Pope Innocent IV had given control of Sicily to Edmund Crouchback. Edmund was the son of King Henry III of England. Alexander IV confirmed this deal in 1255. In return, the Pope asked for money and knights from King Henry.

King Henry III tried to get his people to pay taxes for this deal. But he was not successful. This struggle was one of the reasons for a big conflict in England called the Second Barons' War.

Pope Alexander IV also had disagreements with King Henry III. For example, in 1256, he rejected Henry's choice for the Archbishop of Dublin. Later, in 1261, just before he died, Alexander IV released King Henry from promises he had made in the Provisions of Oxford. This action was important in the lead-up to the Barons' War.

Alexander IV also became the guardian of Conradin. Conradin was the last member of the Hohenstaufen family. The Pope had promised to protect him. However, Alexander IV soon became an enemy of Conradin's uncle, Manfred. The Pope even threatened to remove Manfred from the Church, but it did not work. He also tried to get the kings of England and Norway to fight against Manfred, but they did not agree.

Rome became too dangerous for the Pope because many people there supported Manfred. So, Pope Alexander IV moved to Viterbo. He died there in 1261. He was buried in Viterbo Cathedral. Sadly, his tomb was destroyed during renovations in the 1500s.

See also

• Battle of Ain Jalut
• In Spanish: Alejandro IV (papa) para niños