Editing Pope Pius II (section)

==Election to papacy==
{{Main|1458 papal conclave}}

Calixtus III died on 6 August 1458. The leading candidate was Cardinal Domenico Capranica, but he died on 14 August, during the ''Novendiales''.<ref>Eubel II, p. 6, no. 4; p. 12, note 9. Pastor III, pp. 5-6.</ref> The ambassador of the Duke of Milan wrote on 31 July that Cardinal Juan de Torquemada and Cardinal [[Filippo Calandrini]], the half-brother of [[Pope Nicholas V]], were also candidates, and he thought that Calandrini might win.<ref name="Pastor, p. 7">Pastor, p. 7.</ref> Aeneas and his friend Cardinal Calandrini of Bologna immediately headed from Viterbo to Rome, and when they reached the gate of the city, they were met by a friendly assembly of courtiers and common people, who shouted that one or the other of them would be made pope.<ref>Pius II, [https://books.google.com/books?id=O09KAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA29 ''Commentarii rerum memorabilium,''] (Frankfurt: Aubry, 1614), p. 29: "Cumque ambo una Vrbe peterent, uniuersam curiam, & maiorem populi parte extra moenia occurrentem inuenere: affirmantibus cunctis eorum alterum in pontificem maximum electum iri."</ref> On the evening of the death of Cardinal Capranica, the Milanese ambassador indicated it would be possible to carry the election of Piccolomini, who was being supported by the king of Naples.<ref name="Pastor, p. 7"/>

On 16 August, the cardinals entered into a [[1458 papal conclave|papal conclave]]. Eighteen cardinals took part. The Italian cardinals were outnumbered by the foreigners.  According to Aeneas' account, the wealthy cardinal [[Guillaume d'Estouteville]], Archbishop of [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Rouen|Rouen]], though a Frenchman and a blood cousin of the king of France, seemed certain to be elected. On 18 August, the first scrutiny took place; Aeneas and Calandrini each received 5 votes, while no one else received more than three.<ref>Pastor III, p. 11. Piccolomini, ''Commentarii'', p. 30: "Tertia die facta re diuina, cum ventum esset ad scrutinium, inuentum est Philippum cardinalem Bononiensem & Aeneam Senensem paribus vocibus ad summum Pontificatum præstolari, vtroque vocibus quinque vocato: ex reliquis nemo tres superavit."</ref> Whether out of trickery or out of hatred, no cardinal gave a vote for d'Estouteville.<ref>Josephus Cugnoni (editor), [https://books.google.com/books?id=DIP5NJwbx8kC&pg=PA184 Aeneae Silvii Piccolomini Senensis... Opera inedita] (Roma: Tipi del Salviucci 1883), p. 184 (quoting the ''Commentarii'': "Villelmum Cardinalem Rhotomagensem, sive dolus fuit, sive odium, nemo ea vice elegit."</ref> The results contradicted the expectations. D'Estouteville then set out to frustrate the ambitions of Aeneas. The second ballot took place on 19 August; the results gave Piccolomini 9 votes, and D'Estouteville 6.<ref>Pastor, p. 12. Piccolomini, ''Commentarii'', p. 30: "Publicato scrutinio compertum est novem cardinales Eneam elegisse: Genuensem, Ursinum, Ilerdensem, Bononiensem, fancti Marci,fanctorum quatuor Coronatorum , Zamorensem , Papiensem, & Portugallense; Rothomagensem vero tantum sex, reliquos longe inferius resedisse."</ref> After intense intrigue among the cardinals, including a private meeting of the Italian cardinals, who were urged by [[Pope Paul II|Cardinal Barbo of Venice]] to choose the Italian Piccolomini over the French d'Estouteville, Aeneas was able to secure enough votes for his candidacy after the second ballot at the ''accessio'', to be elected with 12 votes. All 18 cardinals then ratified the election.<ref>Pastor III, pp. 12-13. {{Cite book |last1=Märtl |first1=Claudia |title=Inter graecos latinissimus, inter latinos graecissimus: Bessarion zwischen den Kulturen|last2=Kaiser |first2=Christian |last3=Ricklin |first3=Thomas |publisher=De Gruyter |year=2013 |isbn=978-3-11-028265-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F6XoBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA108|location=Berlin and Boston |pages=108}}</ref> He was crowned Pope on the front steps of [[St. Peter's Basilica]] on 3 September 1458 by the Protodeacon, Cardinal Prospero Colonna.<ref>G. Bourgin, "Les cardinaux français et le diaire caméral de 1439-1486," in: ''Mélanges d' archeologie et d' histoire'' vol. 24 (1904), pp. 277-318, at p. 293.</ref>