Pope Alexander III (1105-30 August 1181), born Roland of Siena, was Pope from 1159 to 1181, succeeding Pope Adrian IV and preceding Pope Lucius III.
Biography[]
Roland was made a cardinal in 1150 by Pope Eugene III, and in 1159 he was consecrated as pope after the death of Pope Adrian IV. Roland was christened "Alexander", and he came to power at a time where Frederick Barbarossa of the Holy Roman Empire was invading northern Italy, whose city-states rebelled against his intrusive bishops. The fall of Crema in 1159 and the game of soccer played with the severed heads of the massacred inhabitants horrified Alexander, who sent an army north. The Papal States army was mauled at the Battle of Monte Porzio, and Pope Alexander III helped to form the Lombard League to fight against the Germans. The 1176 Battle of Legnano was a Lombard victory, and the Germans were forced to retreat. Frederick had to surrender, although the clashes between pro-Imperial Ghibellines and pro-Papal Guelphs continued.