|Pope Alexander III| AKA Orlando Bandinelli Born: c. 1105
Birthplace: Siena, Italy Location of death: Civita Castellana
Cause of death: unspecified Religion: Roman Catholic Race or
Ethnicity: White Executive summary: Roman Catholic Pope, 1159-81
Alexander III, given name Orlando Bandinelli, Roman Catholic
Pope from 1159 to 1181, was a Siennese, and as a teacher of
canon law in Bologna composed the Stroma or Summa Magistri
Rolandi, one of the earliest commentaries on the Decretum
Gratiani. In October 1150 Eugenius III created a cardinal deacon
of SS. Cosmae and Damiani; later he became cardinal priest of
St. Mark's. Probably about this time he composed his Sentences,
based on the Introductio ad theologiam of Peter Abelard. In 1153
he became papal chancellor, and was the leader of the cardinals
opposed to Frederick Barbarossa. On the 7th of September 1159 he
was chosen the successor of Pope Adrian IV, a minority of the
cardinals, however, electing the cardinal priest Octavian, who
assumed the name of Victor IV.