Petrus Hispanus

Petrus Hispanus (1205 – 1277) was the only practicing physician ever to become Pope. (1276 – 1277). He was an interim choice when rival French and Italian cardinals could not elect one of their own nationality. Petrus was famous for several centuries because of his secular writing, a text on logic Summulae logicales (c. 1240) and a handbook on medicine: Thesaurus pauperum (Treasure of the poor), written on behalf of poor students and medical practitioners who couldn’t afford many books. The work gives easily available solutions for ailments and diseases. It became very popular in the Middle Ages. Eventually, it is very probable, but not absolutely sure, that Petrus Hispanus the physician and Petrus Hispanus the Pope are the same person.