Pope from November 11, 1417 - February 20, 1431
Lived: 1369 - February 20, 1431
Who was this guy before he was pope?
Odo Colonna was descended from not one, but two powerful Roman families -- the Colonnas and the Contis. The Colonna family in particular had furnished no fewer than 27 cardinals to the Church before young Odo came on the scene, but he was the first to ascend all the way to the Chair of Peter. Odo held numerous offices throughout his life, but his biggest intrigue came in his support of Antipope John XXIII during the Western Schism. That stunt got him excommunicated by Gregory XII, but in the time between Gregory’s resignation and his own election, Odo was reconciled to Rome.
Give me the scoop on Martin V.
In a unanimous vote at the Council of Constance, on the Feast of St. Martin of Tours, Pope Martin V was elected, taking his new name in honor of the great soldier-saint. Because Martin was merely a cardinal-deacon at his election, he was ordained a priest two days after election, then consecrated a bishop the following day. Rome was in pieces and was all but uninhabitable at his election, so Martin spent his first couple of years in office on a tour of Europe. His travels were spent reclaiming lands and allegiance for the true papacy, mending the many broken fences from four decades of Western Schism. He would continue the same work even after moving to Rome for good in 1420.
Due to Rome’s horrible condition, Martin V faced considerable pressure to move the Holy See elsewhere. However, Martin insisted, saying:
Lived: 1369 - February 20, 1431
Birth name: Odo Colonna
Odo Colonna was descended from not one, but two powerful Roman families -- the Colonnas and the Contis. The Colonna family in particular had furnished no fewer than 27 cardinals to the Church before young Odo came on the scene, but he was the first to ascend all the way to the Chair of Peter. Odo held numerous offices throughout his life, but his biggest intrigue came in his support of Antipope John XXIII during the Western Schism. That stunt got him excommunicated by Gregory XII, but in the time between Gregory’s resignation and his own election, Odo was reconciled to Rome.
Give me the scoop on Martin V.
In a unanimous vote at the Council of Constance, on the Feast of St. Martin of Tours, Pope Martin V was elected, taking his new name in honor of the great soldier-saint. Because Martin was merely a cardinal-deacon at his election, he was ordained a priest two days after election, then consecrated a bishop the following day. Rome was in pieces and was all but uninhabitable at his election, so Martin spent his first couple of years in office on a tour of Europe. His travels were spent reclaiming lands and allegiance for the true papacy, mending the many broken fences from four decades of Western Schism. He would continue the same work even after moving to Rome for good in 1420.
Due to Rome’s horrible condition, Martin V faced considerable pressure to move the Holy See elsewhere. However, Martin insisted, saying:
“In Rome alone is the pope at his post, like the pilot at the helm of a vessel.”
He was also in staunch opposition to the newfound belief that General Councils could be superior and independent from the Roman pontiff. Martin agreed to summon a new council to clarify things at Basel in 1431, but died just before it was to open. Martin V reigned as pope for just over 13 years, and is buried in Rome’s Lateran Basilica.
What was he known for?
Pope Martin V is known for having played the part of “all the king’s horses and all the king’s men” when the Humpty Dumpty named Rome was in pieces. Except he actually did put Rome back together again. Once Martin was able to enter the Eternal City in 1420, he worked tirelessly to restore deteriorated churches, bridges, and palaces, appointing Roman citizens to oversee the city cleanup and rebuilding efforts.
Sensing that he himself could not restore all the churches in need, he also commissioned cardinals to bankroll the repair of their titular churches, an effort that saw great success. Martin is even responsible for laying the groundwork of the Roman Renaissance by his use of master artists and builders from the famous Tuscan School. His impact, as a result, was felt for centuries afterward.
Fun Fact: Sometimes nepotism can be almost necessary. Martin V was accused of it as much as many popes in his day, but his case was particularly unique. As the Catholic Encyclopedia recounts, Martin’s appointment of relatives to key Roman offices was really only because, “He was a landless ruler, and could look for support to no one except his relatives.”
What else was going on in the world at the time?
The late 1420s marked the inexplicable rise and conquest of the French army over many English strongholds, led by the diminutive teenager St. Joan of Arc. Despite winning the Siege of Orléans in 1429, Joan was captured the following spring. She would be tried and condemned -- unjustly -- to death, being burned at the stake just months after Pope Martin V’s own death.
Coming tomorrow...Pope Eugene IV
John, E. (1964). The Popes: A concise biographical history. New York: Hawthorn Books.
What was he known for?
Pope Martin V is known for having played the part of “all the king’s horses and all the king’s men” when the Humpty Dumpty named Rome was in pieces. Except he actually did put Rome back together again. Once Martin was able to enter the Eternal City in 1420, he worked tirelessly to restore deteriorated churches, bridges, and palaces, appointing Roman citizens to oversee the city cleanup and rebuilding efforts.
Sensing that he himself could not restore all the churches in need, he also commissioned cardinals to bankroll the repair of their titular churches, an effort that saw great success. Martin is even responsible for laying the groundwork of the Roman Renaissance by his use of master artists and builders from the famous Tuscan School. His impact, as a result, was felt for centuries afterward.
Fun Fact: Sometimes nepotism can be almost necessary. Martin V was accused of it as much as many popes in his day, but his case was particularly unique. As the Catholic Encyclopedia recounts, Martin’s appointment of relatives to key Roman offices was really only because, “He was a landless ruler, and could look for support to no one except his relatives.”
What else was going on in the world at the time?
The late 1420s marked the inexplicable rise and conquest of the French army over many English strongholds, led by the diminutive teenager St. Joan of Arc. Despite winning the Siege of Orléans in 1429, Joan was captured the following spring. She would be tried and condemned -- unjustly -- to death, being burned at the stake just months after Pope Martin V’s own death.
Coming tomorrow...Pope Eugene IV
SOURCES (and further reading)
John, E. (1964). The Popes: A concise biographical history. New York: Hawthorn Books.
Pastor, L. (1899). The History of the Popes from the Close of the Middle Ages. (https://archive.org/details/historyofthepope01pastuoft)
Pope Martin V - http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09725a.htm
Pope Martin V - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Martin_V
1430s - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1430s
