ALEXANDER VIII. (Pietro Ottoboni),
pope from 1689 to 1691,
was born in 1610 of a noble Venetian family, was created
cardinal, and then successively bishop of Brescia and datary.
The ambassador of Louis XIV succeeded in procuring his election
on the 6th of October 1689 as successor to Innocent XI;
nevertheless, after months of negotiation Alexander finally
condemned the declaration made in 1682 by the French clergy
concerning the liberties of the Gallican church. Charities
on a large scale and unbounded nepotism exhausted the papal
treasury. He bought the books and manuscripts of Queen
Christina of Sweden for the Vatican library. Alexander condemned in 1690 the doctrines of so-called philosophic sin, taught in the Jesuit schools. He died on the 1st of February 1691. (W. W. R.*)
Initial text from 1911 encyclopedia -- Please update as needed
- preceded by Pope Innocent XI (1676-1689)
- succeeded byPope Innocent XII (1691-1700)
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