Britannica Sources used in this answer

How was Pope Nicholas V different from Nicholas V, the 14th-century antipope?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Montúfar, Antonio: Saint Francis of Assisi Appearing Before Pope Nicholas V, with Donors — Nicholas V *Saint Francis of Assisi Appearing Before Pope Nicholas V, with Donors*, oil on canvas by Antonio Montúfar, 1628; in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. 107.95 × 87.63 cm.

Pope Nicholas V and the 14th-century antipope Nicholas V were distinct figures separated by over a century of history, with fundamentally different roles and legacies within the Catholic Church.

Pope Nicholas V (reigned 1447–1455): A legitimate pontiff and influential Renaissance leader, he is remembered for ending the schism caused by the Council of Basel, founding the Vatican Library, and serving as a major patron of the arts and humanism in Rome. While he achieved significant political and ecclesiastical peace, his legacy is also marked by the issuance of papal bulls that authorized the enslavement of non-Christians, facilitating the early slave trade.1
Antipope Nicholas V (reigned 1328–1330): Born Pietro Rainalducci, he was a Franciscan monk installed as an antipope by Holy Roman emperor Louis IV to challenge Pope John XXII. Lacking broad support, he eventually renounced his illegal claim and spent his remaining years in Avignon under papal imprisonment.2