Renaissance Papacy

Renaissance Popes

• Papacy is the term that refers to the office and position of the Pope

• Some (not all) Renaissance popes started to get distracted from Church matters

• Many historians argue that Nicholas V (1447-1455) was the first Renaissance Pope

• Planned a new Vatican Palace (with Medici funds)

• Planned construction of St. Peter’s Basilica

• Began the famous Vatican Library Collection

• Approved of slavery

• A hallway in the Vatican library

St. Peter’s Basilica

• Sixtus IV (1471-1481) represented some of the best and the worst of the Renaissance Papacy

• Supported worthy artists• Supported nepotism (appoint family members

to important positions)• Made six nephews Cardinals, one later became

Pope Julius II (ended in 1692)• Involved in a plot to kill 2 members of the

Medici family (Giuliano killed, Lorenzo wounded)

• Pope Sixtus IV

• Alexander VI (1492-1503) also followed nepotism

• He made one of his 18 year old sons a Cardinal• Had four children with a mistress and 3 other

children with unknown women• Suspected of simony, or, paying for church

positions• But not all Popes were immoral at this time• Alexander VI

• Pope Pius II (1458-1464) was one of the better Popes at this time

• Big supporter of poetry• Fascinated with ancient Roman ruins

Pope Pius II--------------------

Julius II (1503-1513)

• Also had several children• Founded the Swiss Guard, the

Popes official bodyguards• Known as the “Warrior Pope”• Fought the Venetians and tried to

fight off the French with the Holy League

• Admired by Machiavelli

Calls for Reform

• Girolamo Savonarola called for reforming the Church (burnt immoral items)

• Pope Alexander VI tried bribing him, but it failed

• In 1497, Pope Alexander VI excommunicated Savonarola

• Excommunicate is when you kick someone out of the Church (can be totally banned)

• GirolamoSavonarola

• Savonarola was arrested in 1498, tortured 14 times (rack) hung and eventually burnt

• In 20 years, Martin Luther will attempt to reform the Church

• But that is a story for another day…