1368-1431, pope (1417-31), a Roman named Oddone Colonna;
successor of Gregory XII. He was created cardinal by Innocent VII, and in the
schism (see Schism,
Great ) he attended and supported the decisions of the Council of Pisa (see
Pisa, Council of
). His election (Nov. 11, 1417) by the conclave at the Council of Constance (see
Constance, Council
of ) as pope ended the schism. The election was greeted with almost
universal joy and relief. Declining invitations to settle elsewhere, Martin made
his way slowly to Rome (1420) and set about rehabilitating the city and the
Papal States. His chief concern was the consolidation of the restored Church
unity and the papal prestige, and to this end he made concordats with various
rulers. More significant was his denunciation of the conciliar theory (i.e.,
that councils are supreme in the Church) that had gained wide following at Pisa
and Constance. Nevertheless he followed the wishes of the last council and
summoned a new one; this met at Pavia (1423), moved to Siena, and accomplished
nothing; Martin dissolved it (1424) and summoned a council for 1431 to meet at
Basel. In Martin's reign an attempt to prolong the schism was made in Spain by
the followers of Antipope Benedict XIII (see
Luna, Pedro de ),
who chose (1425) a successor to him called Clement VIII (otherwise Gil Sánchez
Múñoz). Alfonso V of Aragón patronized this antipope out of political motives,
but, gaining nothing, he made Clement resign (1429) and recognized Martin.
Eugene IV succeeded Martin.
Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth
Edition, Copyright (c) 2003.
