Alexander IV
Rinaldo di Jenne · 1254 – 1261
Canonized St. Clare of Assisi and struggled against the growing power of Manfred of Sicily.
Rinaldo di Jenne was a nephew of Pope Gregory IX and a cardinal protector of the Franciscan Order before becoming pope in 1254. He canonized St. Clare of Assisi in 1255 and tried to organize resistance against Manfred, the illegitimate son of Frederick II, who controlled southern Italy. Unable to enter Rome due to factional violence, Alexander spent most of his pontificate in Viterbo.
Why He Matters
Alexander IV canonized St. Clare, giving the Church one of its most beloved women saints. His struggles with secular powers showed how difficult it was for thirteenth-century popes to maintain independence.