WI A Greek Pope in 1455?

I have posted that before but this post is now lost in the depths of the forum for years so i ll post a new one.

In the Papal Conclave of 1455 Cardinal Bessarion emerged as a strong compromise candidate when the voting was deadlocked between the Orsini and Colonna factions who pushed for their own candidates.
At some point he fell 1-2 votes short from the 2/3 majority needed.
However French Cardinals intervened and Alain Cardinal Coetivy attacked Bessarion with a fierce speech accusing him of his greek past.
Bessarion was disgusted and withdrew his candidacy and the elderly Alonso de Borja was elected as Pope Callixtus III...
WI Bessarion had won the election? How is a greek Pope affects european History?
Bessarion was known in Rome for his austerity and passion to reform the Church... Could he had enhanced Church's status or an early reformation happens?

Also with a Greek Pope in the Throne of St. Peter could it be possible that he had more chances to move Europe in joining him in a Crusade against the Ottomans?

P.S. Any guesses on what papal name would he use?
 
I have posted that before but this post is now lost in the depths of the forum for years so i ll post a new one.

In the Papal Conclave of 1455 Cardinal Bessarion emerged as a strong compromise candidate when the voting was deadlocked between the Orsini and Colonna factions who pushed for their own candidates.
At some point he fell 1-2 votes short from the 2/3 majority needed.
However French Cardinals intervened and Alain Cardinal Coetivy attacked Bessarion with a fierce speech accusing him of his greek past.
Bessarion was disgusted and withdrew his candidacy and the elderly Alonso de Borja was elected as Pope Callixtus III...
WI Bessarion had won the election? How is a greek Pope affects european History?
Bessarion was known in Rome for his austerity and passion to reform the Church... Could he had enhanced Church's status or an early reformation happens?

Also with a Greek Pope in the Throne of St. Peter could it be possible that he had more chances to move Europe in joining him in a Crusade against the Ottomans?

P.S. Any guesses on what papal name would he use?

Interesting, the first bearded pope, going against the Western canon law that prohibited beards for priests. Could we see the restart of the East–West Schism.

Firstly IOTL, Bessarion, did not die until November 18, 1472, which means 16 years on the throne, compared to Pope Callixtus III (3 years), Pope Pius II (6 years), Pope Paul II (5 years) and the first two years of Pope Sixtus IV.

I could see him investing more Greek (Balkanized) bishops into the cardinal and he would most likely want to see revenge on the Ottomans, after their sacking of Constantinople, (could we see an alliance between the Catholic Europe and Orthodox Russia?)

As for names, I can think of three:
- Pope Eugene V (after Pope Eugene IV who created him a pope)
- Pope Alexander VI (to illustrate that Greek-born Alexander V, was not an Anti-Pope)
- Pope Theodore III (after the last recognized Greek Pope, Pope Theodore II)
 
Many of the Cardinals (especially the French) resented him for his austerity and passion for reform plus his greek origins.

Given the fact that Roman Church has recently emerged from the painful Western Schism how possible is that the election of a controversial Pope who wanted to reform the Church and impose strict austerity would throw the Church back to a Schism and a series of Antipopes?
 
Given the fact that Roman Church has recently emerged from the painful Western Schism how possible is that the election of a controversial Pope who wanted to reform the Church and impose strict austerity would throw the Church back to a Schism and a series of Antipopes?

Highly likely, it has not even been 75 years since the ending of the Avignon Papacy and especially with his rival, being the SPANISH cardinal, Alfons de Borja, with him most likely setting up the new western seat either in Avignon or his home state of Valencia
 
Could this pull an early Reformation movement?

An orthordox priest in charge of the Papacy could see a watered down Reformation movement, with most of its people still relating themselves to Catholic, with Martin Luther's Lutheranism and Protestantism being re-integrated into this modernised Catholicism.

While the Eastern Catholic church stays the same, if not more extreme piously.
 
Top