The Renaissance Popes

And a few other people of interest.

Nicholas V (1447-1455)

• First Pope to use church funds to further artistic development.

• Vatican Library collection.

Pius II (1458-1464)

• Humanist, one of the better Popes of his generation.

• Well educated

• Poet laureate to Frederick III

Sixtus IV (della Rovere)(1471-1481)

• Represented both the best and worst of the Renaissance Popes.

• Supported worthy artists who produced some tremendously famous works of art. – Funded creation of the Sistine Chapel– temples, streets, squares, fortifications, bridges

• Brought the papacy to its lowest moral tone. – turned to nepotism on a grand scale primarily because of

political difficulties in Italy and overseas– Put relatives into all sorts of authoritative positions.– Made six nephews Cardinals, one of whom later became Pope

Julius II. – Started a family war against the Medici’s

Alexander VI (1492-1503)

• History judges him one of the most depraved Popes ever.

• While a Cardinal, kept several mistresses in Rome. • Fathered four children including Cesare and Lucretia

Borgia. • In 1489, he took the 14-year-old Giulia Farnese as his

mistress. • She remained his mistress throughout his papacy

bearing him sons in 1498 and 1503. – To placate her family, he gave a Red Hat to Giulia's brother, a

man who later became Pope Paul III. – Alexander made Cesare, his illegitimate son, a Cardinal.

• Cesare was 18 at the time.

Cesare Borgia• Alexander selected Giovanni, his

oldest son, to continue the Borgia dynasty but he was murdered in 1497.

• Evidence pointed to Cesare. • Cesare then became heir

apparent. He resigned his Cardinal's hat so he could legitimately sire a dynasty.

• Using French aid to overcome family enemies, Cesare took control of large land holdings in north central Italy.

• Once turned criminals loose in a Vatican courtyard then shot them from a window.

• Inspiration for Machiavelli’s Prince

• When his father died in 1503, Cesare lost his position and became a mercenary in Spain where he died in 1507.

Ludovico il Moro Sforza

(1452-1508) • Patron of Leonardo da Vinci • 1494 Enncouraged the French under

Charles VIII to invade Italy.– Backfired on him– Gave his neice up for marriage to Maximillian

I of the HRE– Starts the Italian Wars

• Fought between the different city-states for over 60 years

• Constantly changing alliances

Girolamo Savonarola (1452-1498)

• Preached against the days' current evils. His strong preaching warned of impending disaster caused by sin.

• Alexander VI tried bribing him with a Cardinal's hat, but Savonarola could not be bought.

• In 1495, the Pope ordered him to stop preaching.

• 1497 Bonfire of the Vanities– Burned books, paintings, excessive earthly

materialistic goods– Alexander excommunicated him in May, but

Savonarola defied him declaring that Alexander was neither a true pope nor a Christian.

• Spring of 1498, he aroused political opposition in Florence and was arrested.– Endured torture 14 times until he confessed to various

crimes only to retract his confessions.– Hung under a papal commission's watchful eye.

Julius II (1503-1513) • della Rovere returned from a 10 year exile • Opposed simony and promised to punish

those guilty of it. • Known as the Warrior Pope, led papal

armies into battle.– Paintings and sculptures show him clad in

armor.

• He also patronized the arts, including Michaelangelo, whom he hired to paint the Sistine Chapel's ceiling.

• Julius also laid the cornerstone for the new St. Peter's Basilica.

Leo X (1513-1521)

• Medici

• Preferred the hunting lodge to papal courts

• Had little spiritual commitment. – The Protestant Reformation began

during his papacy.