hsteu402 #6

Renaissance Papacy during 15th and early 16th C.

POPES: Martin V Colonna Roman noble 1420 enters Rome as first Pope after Schism
Florentine connection: Cosimo di Medici as papal banker

Eugenius IV 1434 Roman uprising led by Colonna; takes refuge in Florence under Cosimo;
appoints Cardinal Giovanni Vitelleschi as Governor of Papal States:
ruthless condottiere, suppresses Roman nobility in Latium (Lazio)
presides over Council of Ferrara/Florence 1438-9; Eastern (Greek)
Emperor John Palaeologus & Orthodox Patriarch seek aid against Turks

NICHOLAS V 1447-55 first Pope after Schism to hold power unopposed;
refortification of Castel Sant'Angelo: strengthens fort's defenses
building extended bastions, towers; also papal apartment on top
1st humanist Pope: studied Greek in Florence; manuscript collector;
begins Vatican Library: hires scribes to copy all known Latin and
Greek book manuscripts, available to humanist scholars

building program for city of Rome

Pius II (1458-1464) Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomini (Siena)
humanist and conciliarist at Council of Basel
Memoirs of a Renaissance Pope (account of his own election, trading votes in the “privy”)
1460 Execrabilis: condemns conciliar theory as heretical: “Forget Aeneas, follow Pius.”
effort to launch a Crusade against Ottoman Turks, dies in Ancona 1464
Pinturrichio paintings in Siena Cathedral Piccolomini Library

Sixtus IV (1471-1480) Francesco della Rovere (uncle of Julius II, below)
      builds Sistine Chapel in Vatican Palace; nepotism (promotes relatives)
1478 role in Pazzi Conspiracy against Lorenzo and Giuliano dei Medici
Vatican fresco 1477 (transferred to canvas):
Melozzo da Forli, Sixtus IV installing Platina as Vatican librarian with four nephews: from left --
Giovanni della Rovere, made Signore of Senigallia (in red) married to daughter of Duke of Urbino
Girolamo Riario, made Count of Imola and Forli, assassinated 1488 (married to Catherina Sforza)
Giulano della Rovere Cardinal di San Pietro in Vincula (later Julius II below)
Raffaele Riario, Cardinal of San Giorgio and favorite of Sixtus IV (builds Cancelleria)

Innocent VIII (1480-1492) Giovanni Battista Cibo (Venetian) financial corruption, indulgence sales;
      first Pope to publicly recognize children while Pope (recognizes only two out of 8 or more)
marries his illegitimate son to daughter of Lorenzo de’ Medici; appoints Giovanni as Cardinal age 13

Alexander VI Rodrigo Borgia (1492-1503) Spaniard, from Valencia
mistress before elected Pope: Vannozza dei Cattanei (inn keeper in Campo dei Fiori)
3 or 4 children: son Cesare Borgia (Duke Valentino) head of papal armies
daughter Lucrezia Borgia married in ceremony in Vatican to Este Duke of Ferrara
second mistress while Pope Jiulietta Farnese, officially married to an Orsini

Julius II della Rovere (1503-1513) fortress at Ostia
     "warrior Pope," personally directs Papal troops in battle: marches on Perugia
      conquest of Perugia & Bologna; expands boundaries of Papal States
            Erasmus' pacifistic treatise: (from Julius Exclusus Heaven)
patron of Raphael & Michelangelo (Julius’ tomb, Sistine ceiling), plans to rebuild St. Peters basilica

Leo X Medici (1513-1521) Giovanni, son of Lorenzo de’ Medici, made Cardinal at age 13
      election demonstrates restored Medici power; alliance of Popes & Florence strengthened
1521 Exsurge Domine Papal Bull excommunicating Luther