Roman Catholic Pope. Born Alfonso Borgia, son of Juan Domingo de Borja and Francina Llançol. In 1429 he became Bishop of Valencia and negotiated with the Pope Eugene IV on behalf of the Spanish King for recognition of King Alfonso's rule over the Kingdom of Naples. In recognition of his services he was elevated to the cardinalate in 1444. From then on he began to promote the careers of two nephews, Rodrigo de Borja and Pedro Luis de Borja. After the death of Pope Nicholas V, in 1455 the conclave was unable to agree on either one of the favorites or the compromise candidate Bessarion. Old and of impeccable reputation, the Cardinal of Valencia did not appear to pose a serious threat to established political interests. In his first consistory he created three new cardinals, two were his nephews. One of them was Rodrigo, who shortly thereafter became Vice-Chancellor of the Church and who nearly four decades later became Pope Alexander VI. During his pontificate, Callixtus initiated a revision of the trial of Joan of Arc, at which she was posthumously vindicated, and canonized the Dominican Vicent Ferrer. He died after a short illness and was buried in a chapel of old Saint Peter's Cathedral. His remains and those of Rodrigo were transferred to Santa Maria in Monserrato in 1610. In 1889 their remains were transferred into a new monument by sculptor Felipe Moratilla in the chapel of St Diego of Alcalá in the name church.
Roman Catholic Pope. Born Alfonso Borgia, son of Juan Domingo de Borja and Francina Llançol. In 1429 he became Bishop of Valencia and negotiated with the Pope Eugene IV on behalf of the Spanish King for recognition of King Alfonso's rule over the Kingdom of Naples. In recognition of his services he was elevated to the cardinalate in 1444. From then on he began to promote the careers of two nephews, Rodrigo de Borja and Pedro Luis de Borja. After the death of Pope Nicholas V, in 1455 the conclave was unable to agree on either one of the favorites or the compromise candidate Bessarion. Old and of impeccable reputation, the Cardinal of Valencia did not appear to pose a serious threat to established political interests. In his first consistory he created three new cardinals, two were his nephews. One of them was Rodrigo, who shortly thereafter became Vice-Chancellor of the Church and who nearly four decades later became Pope Alexander VI. During his pontificate, Callixtus initiated a revision of the trial of Joan of Arc, at which she was posthumously vindicated, and canonized the Dominican Vicent Ferrer. He died after a short illness and was buried in a chapel of old Saint Peter's Cathedral. His remains and those of Rodrigo were transferred to Santa Maria in Monserrato in 1610. In 1889 their remains were transferred into a new monument by sculptor Felipe Moratilla in the chapel of St Diego of Alcalá in the name church.
Bio by: José L Bernabé Tronchoni
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