# Pope Alexander VIII

_Pope of the Catholic Church from 1689 to 1691_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/pope-alexander-viii
Last updated: 2026-11-03

> Pope Alexander VIII (Italian: Alessandro VIII; 22 April 1610 – 1 February 1691), born Pietro Vito Ottoboni, was head of the Catholic Church and leader of the Papal States from 6 October 1689 to his death in February 1691. He is the most recent pope to take the pontifical name "Alexander".

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 22 April 1610 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q101294#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Venice ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q101294#P19))
- **Died:** 1 February 1691 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q101294#P570))
- **Place of death:** Rome ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q101294#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Republic of Venice ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q101294#P27))
- **Occupation:** Catholic priest; Catholic bishop; jurist ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q101294#P106))
- **Education:** University of Padua ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q101294#P69))
- **Positions held:** Pope (6 October 1689 – 1 February 1691); Roman Catholic Bishop of Brescia (7 December 1654 – 9 June 1664); cardinal (since 19 February 1652) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q101294#P39))
- **Awards:** Supreme Order of Christ ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q101294#P166))

## About

Born in the Republic of Venice, Ottoboni earned a doctorate in canon and civil law from the University of Padua. He was made a cardinalate by Pope Innocent X, and Ottoboni was elected pope at the 1689 conclave, taking the name Alexander VIII. His papacy is known for having overturned many of the policies of his predecessor, Innocent XI. He indulged in nepotism to further enrich his family, which exhausted the papal treasury, later forcing his successor, Innocent XII, to implement austere measures to restore the papal coffers.

Despite his brief papacy, during which little of importance was undertaken, Alexander VIII is known for having condemned the doctrines of the so-called philosophical sin which was being taught in schools run by the Society of Jesus. Also during his papacy, King Louis XIV of France restored Avignon to the Holy See as a territory of the Papal States.

## Questions

**When was Pope Alexander VIII born?**  
Pope Alexander VIII was born on 22 April 1610 in Venice.

**What positions has Pope Alexander VIII held?**  
Positions held by Pope Alexander VIII include: Pope (1689–1691); Roman Catholic Bishop of Brescia (1654–1664); cardinal (since 19 February 1652).

**Where did Pope Alexander VIII study?**  
Pope Alexander VIII was educated at University of Padua.

## Related

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- [Pope Gregory XIII](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-gregory-xiii)
- [Pope Clement VII](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-clement-vii)
- [Pope Pius I](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-pius-i)
- [Pope Boniface I](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-boniface-i)
- [Pope Agapetus I](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-agapetus-i)
- [Pope Hormisdas](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-hormisdas)
- [Pope Innocent VIII](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-innocent-viii)
- [Pope Innocent X](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-innocent-x)
- [Pope Marcellus II](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-marcellus-ii)
- [Venice](https://diginpl.com/places/venice)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Pope Alexander VIII](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Alexander_VIII) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q101294](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q101294) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Portrait of Pope Alexander VIII – Roman School of 17th Century – (unframed).jpg by Unidentified painter (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Portrait_of_Pope_Alexander_VIII_%E2%80%93_Roman_School_of_17th_Century_%E2%80%93_(unframed).jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Pope Alexander VIII, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Portrait of Pope Alexander VIII – Roman School of 17th Century – (unframed).jpg — Unidentified painter, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Pope Alexander VIII". DigiNepal. Last updated 3 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/pope-alexander-viii. Retrieved 4 November 2026.