ADRIANO V, POPE. - Pontiff in 1276. Upon the death of Innocenzo V, a conclave was held in Rome under the supervision of Carlo d'Angiò in his capacity as senator of the city; after eight days he put the cardinals on bread and water in order to hasten the decision, and thus, through the influence of Cardinal Orsini, Ottobuono Fieschi was elected on 11 July 1276. He belonged to the well-known Genoese family of the counts of Lavagna and was a nephew of Innocenzo IV, who had created him cardinal deacon of S. Adriano; Clemente IV had sent him to England to reconcile King Enrico III and the barons, to preach the crusade, and to collect the tithes. He was not even a priest; immediately after his election as Pontiff, he left Rome and took up residence at Viterbo. The brevity of his reign prevented him from undertaking any action of particular importance; he nevertheless had time to abolish the severe
regulations laid down by Gregorio X concerning the conclave, which he himself had experienced. He died on 18 Aug. of the same year and was buried in the church of the Dominicans at Viterbo. The citizens of that city applied the law on the conclave despite its abolition, and Giovanni XXI was elected.