WI Cardinal Bessarion elected Pope in 1455?

I have posted that again... But i cant find it... So there it goes again...

In 24/3/1455 Pope Nicholas V died and a stormy Conclave begun following his death, the Greek Cardinal Bessarion was all but chosen to succeed him... He fell short 1-2 votes from being elected... however, Cardinal Alfonso de Borja was finally elected as Pope Callixtus III as a compromise candidate after a a fierce speech by Cardinal Alain de Coetivy Bessarion's nemessis (and champion of Cardinal d'Estouteville the other leading candidate). Cardinal de Coetivy attacked his Greek origins and persuaded the College that Bessarion was suited for Pope.
WI Bessarion was indeed elected as Pope in 1455?
Constantinople had just fallen into the hands of the Turks and the Byzantine Empire had been destroyed. In OTL Bessarion kept pressing the Doge of Venice and the King of France to go to a Crusade and free Constantinople from Turks... Are his chances increased if he is the Pope?
How is this altering History? Any thoughts?
 
To be honest, I doubt the Venetians have much to gain from such an enterprise, and there is little for the French to gain from it as well. I think even as a Pope Bessarion may hold too little real-world influence to force the Crusade. Even if such a Crusade does happen, what are the chances of it being more successful than the Hungarian one?

It might, however, be interesting to see what it would do to Orthodox-Catholic relations. Perhaps with a Greek Pope, some form of true reconciliation might be possible, or at least major steps towards eventual reconciliation of the churches...
 
He could lure the King of France into a Crusade with the Kingdom of Naples as a bait... As for Venice he would bribe the Doge with papal money and trade rights and privileges...
 
Top