Francesco Todeschini is elected Pope Pius III, as successor to Alexander VI. The princes in the Romagna and other Papal States who Cesare Borgia had deposed rise against him and the Orsini return to Rome. In a situation of tense political factionalism, Cardinal Todeschini was a compromise candidate, coming as he did neither from the Borgia or the della Rovere factions. However, his pontificate was ultimately brief, as he died 26 days later on 22 October 1503.
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Citation: Editors, Litencyc. "Francesco Todeschini is elected Pope Pius III". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 01 November 2010 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=14077, accessed 09 June 2026.]
