ALEMAN, LOUIS (c. 1390-1450), French cardinal, was born
of a noble family at the castle of Arbent near Bugey about the
year 1390. He was successively bishop of Maguelonne (1418),
archbishop of Arles (1423) and cardinal priest of St Cecilia
(1426). He was a prominent member of the council of Basel,
and, together with Cardinal Julian, led the party which
maintained the supremacy of general councils over the pope's
authority. In 1440 Aleman obtained the support of the emperor
Sigismund and of the duke of Milan to his views, and proclaiming
the deposition of Pope Eugenius IV., placed the tiara upon
the head of Amadeus VIII., duke of Savoy (henceforward known
as antipope Felix V.). Eugenius retorted by excommunicating
the antipope and depriving Aleman of all his ecclesiastical
dignities. In order to make an end of the schism, Felix V.
finally abdicated on Aleman's advice, and Nicholas V., who had
succeeded in 1447, restored the cardinal to all his honours
and employed him as legate to Germany in 1449. On his return
he retired to his diocese of Arles, where he devoted himself
zealously to the instruction of his people. He died on the 16th
of September 1450, and was beatified by Pope Clement VII. in 1527.
See U. Chevalier, Repert. des sources hist. (Paris, 1905), p. 130.
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