Pope Martin V

Pope Martin V was a very important leader of the Catholic Church.

Before he became pope, his name was Oddone Colonna. He was born in Italy around 1369. Some people think he was born in Genazzano. Others believe he was born in Theodoli Castle. He came from one of the oldest and most famous families in Rome. His father was Agapito Colonna, a lord of many lands. Oddone studied law at the University of Pavia. He later became a cardinal in 1405.

His election changed the history of the Church. For many years, the Church was split between different leaders. This period was called the Western Schism. It lasted from 1378 until 1417. Martin V helped end this difficult time. He was elected at the Council of Constance on 11 November 1417. He was 48 years old at the time. He chose the name Martin to honor Saint Martin of Tours. Many leaders and delegates were there for his election. He became a priest and then a bishop very quickly.

Once he became pope, he had much work to do. He did not rule all of Italy. At first, he mostly ruled Rome and the areas around it. He had to deal with many local lords. He also worked to bring order to the land. Martin V spent time in Florence before moving to Rome. In 1420, he finally entered the city of Rome. He worked to fix old churches and palaces. He also helped fix bridges and other public buildings. This work helped start the Roman Renaissance, a time of great art.

Martin V also dealt with many conflicts and wars. In Bohemia, there were many arguments about religious beliefs. This was known as the Hussite movement. The fighting in Bohemia was very violent. Martin V called for a crusade to stop these groups. He also dealt with the Ottoman Empire. In 1420, he declared a crusade against them. He also dealt with wars in Italy. He fought against a leader named Braccio da Montone. A large army helped defeat Braccio in 1424. Martin also made rules about how money and loans worked. He said certain types of yearly payments were legal.

He left behind many lasting things. In 1425, he founded the University of Louvain. This school is in a place we call Belgium today. He also had many different views on people in his time. He confirmed some rights for Jewish people. However, he also made some rules that were harder for them later. He also dealt with the difficult topic of slavery. He made rules about the sale of Christian slaves. Martin V died in Rome in 1431. He was 62 years old. He is buried in the St. John Lateran Basilica.