SÁNCHEZ MUÑOZ, EGIDIO, ANTIPAPA

SÁNCHEZ MUÑOZ, EGIDIO, ANTIPOPE. - Of a noble Spanish family, he held a bachelor’s degree in canon law from Barcelona and was provost of Valencia. Upon the death of BENEDICT XIII, he was elected pope at Peñíscola on 10 June 1423 at the instigation of ALFONSO V, taking the name CLEMENT VIII.
Supported by Alfonso, who used him effectively as a tool against MARTIN V, he resided for some time in the castle of Peñíscola. But when Alfonso, constrained by Martin V’s vigorous measures, decided to abandon the schism, SÁNCHEZ was invited to resign, which he did willingly on 26 July 1429 before a small court, urging his cardinals to elect Otto Colonna. On 14 August, SÁNCHEZ went to San Mateo, where he promised obedience to the papal legate Pierre de Foix, who absolved him from censures and reconciled him with the Church. He was later appointed bishop of Majorca, where he died miserably on 28 December 1446.