All Vatican elections

1159 Papal Election

elected Alexander III

4–7 September 1159 · The first papal elections · Vatican Basilica, Rome

The papal election held from 4 to 7 September 1159 following the death of Pope Adrian IV resulted in the election of two rival popes.

Elected pope

Alexander III

Rolando of Siena

Succeeded

Adrian IV

Duration

4 days

Cardinal electors

pre-conclave election

Key officials

DeanImar of Tusculum
CamerlengoBoso Breakspeare

Ballot-by-ballot tallies are destroyed by design — the paper is burned in the stove whose smoke announces the result — so this entry records what the Church documents: the dates, the electors, the number of ballots where known, and the man who walked out onto the balcony.