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Bible Encyclopedias
Alexander VIII
1911 Encyclopedia Britannica
or VIII. (Pietro Ottoboni), pope from 1689 to 1691, was born in r 610 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.*)
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Chisholm, Hugh, General Editor. Entry for 'Alexander VIII'. 1911 Encyclopedia Britanica. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/bri/a/alexander-viii.html. 1910.
