 Born
4 December, 1383, died at Ripaille, 7 January, 1451. The
schismatic Council of Basle, having declared the
rightful pope, Eugene IV, deposed, proceeded immediately
with the election of an antipope. Wishing to secure
additional influence and increased financial support,
they turned their attention towards the rich and
powerful prince, Duke Amadeus VIII of Savoy. Amadeus had
exercised over his dependencies a mild and equitable
sway, and had evinced a great zeal for the interests of
the Church, especially in connection with the Western
Schism regarding the papal succession, brought to a
close by the Council of Constance. Emperor Sigismund had
shown his appreciation of this ruler's services by
raising, in 1416, the former counts of Savoy to the
status of a duchy, and in 1422 conferred on Amadeus the
county of Geneva. On the death of his wife, Maria of
Burgundy, Duke Amadeus resolved to lead henceforth a
life of contemplation, without however entirely
resigning the government of his territories. He
appointed his son Ludwig regent of the duchy, and
retired to Ripaille on the Lake of Geneva, where in
company with five knights whom he had formed into an
Order of St. Maurice, he led a semi-monastic life in
accordance with a rule drawn up by himself.
Amadeus had been in close relations with the
schismatic council of Basle; and was elected pope, 30
October, 1439, by the electoral college of that council,
including one cardinal (d'Allamand of Aries), eleven
bishops, seven abbots, five theologians, and nine
canonists. After long negotiations with a deputation
from the council, Amadeus acquiesced in the election, 5
Feb., 1440, completely renouncing at the same time all
further participation in the government of his duchy.
Ambition and a certain fantastic turn of character
induced him to take this step. He took the name of Felix
V, and was solemnly consecrated and crowned by the
Cardinal d'Allamand, 24 July, 1440. Eugene IV had
already excommunicated him, 23 March, at the council of
Florence. Until 1442, the famous Aeneas Sylvinus
Piccolomini, later Pius II, was the antipope's
secretary. This renewal of the schism ruined any success
of Basle assembly, just closed at Constance.
Subsequently, Amadeus took up his residence in Savoy and
Switzerland; his efforts to surround himself with a
curia met with little success; many of those whom he
named cardinals declined the dignity. He found general
recognition only in Savoy and Switzerland, but his
claims were also recognized by the Dukes of Austria,
Tyrol, and Bayern-München, the Count-Palatine of Simmern,
the Teutonic Order, some orders in Germany and some
universities hitherto adherents of Basle. He was soon
embroiled in a quarrel with the Council of Basle
concerning his rights and the distribution of revenues.
The rightful pope, Eugene IV, and his successor Nicolas
V (1447), who were universally recognized from the first
in Spain and Poland, found their claims even more widely
admitted in France and Germany. In 1442, Felix left
Basle, and on 16 May, 1443, occurred the last session of
the Baste assembly. Felix, who had for the sake of its
revenue assumed the administration of the Diocese of
Geneva, clung for six years more to his usurped dignity
but finally submitted (1449) to Nicolas V, received the
title of Cardinal of St. Sabina, and was appointed
permanent Apostolic vicar-general for all the states of
the House of Savoy and for several dioceses (Basle,
Strasburg, Chur, etc.). Thus ended the last papal
schism. |
