Pope Leo XI
Encyclopedia
Pope Leo XI born Alessandro Ottaviano de' Medici, was Pope
from 1 April 1605 to 27 April of the same year.
: his mother, Francesca Salviati, was a daughter of Jacopo Salviati
and Lucrezia de' Medici, a sister of Leo X
, while his father, Ottaviano
, was a more distant scion of the Medici family. After a late start, he was ordained priest
, and Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
, sent him as an appropriate ambassador
to Pope Pius V
, a position which he held for fifteen years. Gregory XIII
made him bishop of Pistoia in 1573, archbishop of Florence in 1574, and Cardinal-Priest
of Santi Quirico e Giulitta
in 1583.
In 1596, Clement VIII
sent him as legate to France
where Maria de' Medici was queen. Alessandro was a friend and disciple of St. Philip Neri
.
On 14 March 1605, eleven days after the death of Clement VIII, 62 cardinals entered the conclave. Prominent among the candidates for the papacy were the great historian
Baronius and the famous Jesuit
controversialist Robert Bellarmine
. But Pietro Aldobrandini
, the leader of the Italian party among the cardinals, allied with the French cardinals and brought about the election of Alessandro against the express wish of King Philip III of Spain
. King Henry IV of France
is said to have spent 300,000 écu
s in the promotion of Alessandro's candidacy. On 1 April 1605, Alessandro ascended the papal throne with the name Leo XI after his uncle Pope Leo X
, being then almost seventy years of age, but was taken ill immediately after his coronation
and died within the month.
He was nicknamed Papa Lampo ("Lightning Pope") for the brevity of his pontificate.
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
from 1 April 1605 to 27 April of the same year.
Biography
He was born in FlorenceFlorence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
: his mother, Francesca Salviati, was a daughter of Jacopo Salviati
Jacopo Salviati
Jacopo Salviati was an Italian politician born in Florence on 15 September 1461.Son of Giovanni Salviati and Maddalena Gondi, he devoted himself in the economic affairs of the family, becoming very wealthy. He then engaged in political life...
and Lucrezia de' Medici, a sister of Leo X
Pope Leo X
Pope Leo X , born Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici, was the Pope from 1513 to his death in 1521. He was the last non-priest to be elected Pope. He is known for granting indulgences for those who donated to reconstruct St. Peter's Basilica and his challenging of Martin Luther's 95 Theses...
, while his father, Ottaviano
Ottaviano de' Medici
Ottaviano de' Medici was an Italian politician and statesman, ancestor of the Princes of Ottaiano line of the Medici family....
, was a more distant scion of the Medici family. After a late start, he was ordained priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, and Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
, sent him as an appropriate ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to Pope Pius V
Pope Pius V
Pope Saint Pius V , born Antonio Ghislieri , was Pope from 1566 to 1572 and is a saint of the Catholic Church. He is chiefly notable for his role in the Council of Trent, the Counter-Reformation, and the standardization of the Roman liturgy within the Latin Church...
, a position which he held for fifteen years. Gregory XIII
Pope Gregory XIII
Pope Gregory XIII , born Ugo Boncompagni, was Pope from 1572 to 1585. He is best known for commissioning and being the namesake for the Gregorian calendar, which remains the internationally-accepted civil calendar to this date.-Youth:He was born the son of Cristoforo Boncompagni and wife Angela...
made him bishop of Pistoia in 1573, archbishop of Florence in 1574, and Cardinal-Priest
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of Santi Quirico e Giulitta
Santi Quirico e Giulitta
The titular church of Santi Quirico e Giulitta in Rome is named after a son and mother who were martyred in 304 AD in Tarsus. The church is located in central Rome in front of Trajan's Forum. The address is: Via di Tor de’ Conti 31/A, 00184.Today the church is administered by the Third Order of...
in 1583.
In 1596, Clement VIII
Pope Clement VIII
Pope Clement VIII , born Ippolito Aldobrandini, was Pope from 30 January 1592 to 3 March 1605.-Cardinal:...
sent him as legate to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
where Maria de' Medici was queen. Alessandro was a friend and disciple of St. Philip Neri
Philip Neri
Saint Philip Romolo Neri , also known as Apostle of Rome, was an Italian priest, noted for founding a society of secular priests called the "Congregation of the Oratory".-Early life:...
.
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
Baronius and the famous Jesuit
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
controversialist Robert Bellarmine
Robert Bellarmine
Robert Bellarmine was an Italian Jesuit and a Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was one of the most important figures in the Counter-Reformation...
. But Pietro Aldobrandini
Pietro Aldobrandini
Pietro Aldobrandini was an Italian Cardinal and patron of the arts.He was made a cardinal in 1593 by his uncle, Pope Clement VIII. He took over the duchy of Ferrara in 1598 when it fell to the Papal States...
, the leader of the Italian party among the cardinals, allied with the French cardinals and brought about the election of Alessandro against the express wish of King Philip III of Spain
Philip III of Spain
Philip III , also known as Philip the Pious, was the King of Spain and King of Portugal and the Algarves, where he ruled as Philip II , from 1598 until his death...
. King Henry IV of France
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
is said to have spent 300,000 écu
ECU
ECU may refer to:Automotive terms* Electronic control unit, a generic term for any embedded system that controls one or more of the electrical systems or subsystems in a motor vehicle...
s in the promotion of Alessandro's candidacy. On 1 April 1605, Alessandro ascended the papal throne with the name Leo XI after his uncle Pope Leo X
Pope Leo X
Pope Leo X , born Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici, was the Pope from 1513 to his death in 1521. He was the last non-priest to be elected Pope. He is known for granting indulgences for those who donated to reconstruct St. Peter's Basilica and his challenging of Martin Luther's 95 Theses...
, being then almost seventy years of age, but was taken ill immediately after his coronation
Papal Coronation
A papal coronation was the ceremony of the placing of the Papal Tiara on a newly elected pope. The first recorded papal coronation was that of Pope Celestine II in 1143. Soon after his coronation in 1963, Pope Paul VI abandoned the practice of wearing the tiara. His successors have chosen not to...
and died within the month.
He was nicknamed Papa Lampo ("Lightning Pope") for the brevity of his pontificate.
External links
- Catholic Encyclopedia: Pope Leo XI
- Monument to Leo XI St Peter's Basilica