Pope Leo XI

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Paul V
Orders
Ordination22 July 1567
by Antonio Altoviti
ConsecrationMarch 1573
by Francisco Pacheco de Villena (Toledo)
Created cardinal12 December 1583
by Gregory XIII
Personal details
Born
Alessandro Ottaviano de' Medici

2 June 1535
Florence, Duchy of Florence
Died27 April 1605(1605-04-27) (aged 69)
Rome, Papal States
Previous post(s)
Coat of armsLeo XI's coat of arms
Other popes named Leo

Pope Leo XI (

March 1605 papal conclave
and served as pope for 27 days.

Biography

Early life

Alessandro Ottaviano de' Medici was born in

Dominican priest, Vincenzo Ercolano.[4]

Alessandro felt the call to the priesthood, but his mother opposed this since he was the only male in the family. She sent him instead to the court of the

Grand Duke of Tuscany, who appointed him a knight of San Stefano. In 1560 he travelled to Rome where he commenced a lifelong friendship and collaboration with Philip Neri, the future saint. It was Philip who predicted that Alessandro would ascend to the pontificate. His mother died in 1566, at which point he resumed his studies to become a priest. His ordination took place on 22 July 1567.[5]

Priesthood

Tomb of Leo XI in St. Peter's Basilica, by Alessandro Algardi

Alessandro served as the Florentine

Archbishop of Florence.[6]

In 1583 he was made a cardinal by Pope Sixtus V and on 9 January 1584 received the title of Cardinal-Priest of Santi Quirico e Giulitta, after a titular church previously known as San Ciriaco alle Terme Diocleziane. In later years, according to custom he would opt for other titular churches.[3][7]

In 1596 Pope Clement VIII sent Alessandro as a papal legate to France, where he remained until 1598, when he received word of his appointment as Prefect of the Congregation of Bishops and Regulars.[8]

Pontificate

Papal election

Main article:
Papal conclave, March 1605

On 14 March 1605, eleven days after the death of Clement VIII, 62 cardinals entered the

Jesuit controversialist Robert Bellarmine
, future saint.

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 écus in the promotion of Alessandro's candidacy.[9]

On 1 April 1605, Cardinal Alessandro de' Medici was elected as pope. He chose to be called Leo XI in honor of his uncle

Basilica of Saint John Lateran
on 17 April 1605.

Death

When he was elected, Leo XI was almost 70 years of age, and he died 27 days later.

Basilica of St John Lateran on 17 April; he started suffering from a fever
the following day.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Leo XI". Encyclopaedia Britannica.
  2. ^ "List of Popes," Catholic Encyclopedia (2009); retrieved 2013-3-15.
  3. ^ a b c Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Pope Leo XI" . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  4. ^ Richard P. McBrien, Lives of the Popes, (HarperCollins, 2000), 298.
  5. ^ "Pope Leo XI". Saints SQPN. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  6. ^ Richard P. McBrien, Lives of the Popes, 298.
  7. ISBN 9781351575645
    .
  8. ISBN 9780415922289
    .
  9. ISBN 0300115970
    .
  10. ^ George L. Williams, Papal Genealogy: The Families and Descendants of the Popes, (McFarland & Company, 1998), 75.

External links

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Pope
1–27 April 1605 		Succeeded by


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