Who was Pope Leo X? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici

Died At Age: 45

Family:

father: Lorenzo the Magnificent

mother: Clarice Orsini

siblings: Contessina Beatrice de' Medici, Contessina de' Medici, Giuliano de' Medici; Duke of Nemours, Lucrezia de' Medici, Luisa de' Medici, Maddalena de' Medici, Piero the Unfortunate

Born Country: Italy

Italian Men Italian Spiritual & Religious Leaders

Died on: December 1, 1521

place of death: Rome, Italy

Cause of Death: Broncho-Pneumonia

Notable Alumni: Sacred College Of Cardinals, University Of Pisa

City: Florence, Italy

More Facts

education: University Of Pisa, Sacred College of Cardinals

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1

When did Pope Leo X become the Pope?

Pope Leo X became the Pope on March 9, 1513.
2

What was the main controversy surrounding Pope Leo X during his papacy?

The main controversy surrounding Pope Leo X was his role in the sale of indulgences, which ultimately led to the Protestant Reformation.
3

What major event occurred during Pope Leo X's papacy?

One major event that occurred during Pope Leo X's papacy was the excommunication of Martin Luther in 1521.
4

What was the significance of Pope Leo X's papacy in the history of the Catholic Church?

Pope Leo X's papacy is significant for his patronage of the arts and his involvement in the political affairs of Europe during a pivotal time in history.
5

How did Pope Leo X's actions impact the future of the Catholic Church?

Pope Leo X's actions, particularly his handling of the Protestant Reformation, had lasting effects on the structure and beliefs of the Catholic Church, leading to significant changes in the centuries that followed.

Childhood & Early Life

Pope Leo X was born on December 11, 1475, as Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici in Florence, Italy. He was the second son of Lorenzo the Magnificent, the head of the Florentine Republic.

Giovanni was schooled along with his older brother Piero di Lorenzo de' Medici in all government arts. He was tutored by various famous men, such as Angelo Poliziano, Marsilio Ficino, and Pico Della Mirandola, an excellent humanist who was also an expert in persuasion. Giovanni grew up to become a fine and intelligent boy with a deep interest in arts and literature. He was very religious for his age.

In 1482, he entered the ranks of Roman Catholic clergy after getting tonsured at just the age of seven. He was then made a cardinal at just 13 years by the then Pope Innocent VIII. He received a lot of revenues from various wealthy churches, which in turn added to his family’s wealth.

His interest in education continued even after becoming a cardinal. Between 1489 and 1491, he studied theology and canon law in Pisa. He was tutored by Filippo Decio and Bartolomeo Sozzini.

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Becoming the Pope

Giovanni was formally admitted into the Sacred College of Cardinals on March 23, 1492. He started residing in Rome. He had to rush back to Florence the same year owing to the death of his father. The same year, Pope Innocent VIII also died, and Giovanni opposed the election of Cardinal Borgia.

In 1494, there was an uprising that forced the entire Medici family to go into exile. He used this time well to travel across Europe as he wasn’t allowed to go back to Rome since he had opposed the election of Cardinal Borgia as the pope.

In May 1500, Giovanni could finally return to Rome where he was welcomed back cordially by Pope Alexander VI. He started leading a life filled with art and literature during his life in Rome.

In 1503, he was delighted at the accession of Pope Julius II to the pontificate. The same year, his brother died, making him the head of the Medici family. Eight years later, he was appointed as the papal legate of Bologna and Romagna.

In February 1513, Julius II died. A seven-day stormy session ensued and the conclave finally united to make Giovanni the main candidate amongst the younger cardinals. He was elected on March 9. After this, he was proclaimed on March 11. Four days later, he was ordained into the priesthood.

He was given the title of Leo X on March 19, 1513. His appointment as the pope was received with delight by many Romans mainly due to his liberal attitude and also his love for peace.

Leo X faced multiple issues after the accession. Some of them were preserving the papal conquests which were inherited from the previous Popes Alexander VI and Julius II, limiting the amount of foreign influence, and the need to put an end to the Pisan schism.

He had great ambitions for his brother Giuliano, but his unfortunate death in March 1516 forced him to transfer those ambitions to his nephew Lorenzo. In the same year in December, Leo organized an expedition against the Turks which was led by Lorenzo.

The War of Urbino lasted from February to September 1517. It finally ended with the duke’s expulsion and the victory of Lorenzo. At the same time, it also revived the policy of Alexander VI, leading to an increase in brigandage and anarchy in all the Papal States. This also meant it wreaked havoc on the papal finances as the estimated cost of the war was nearly 800,000 ducats.

Meanwhile, in July 1517, Leo published the names of 31 new cardinals, including Lorenzo Campeggio, Egidio Canisio, and Thomas Cajetan. This huge number was quite unheard of in the history of the papacy.

Leo also felt the need to resist the advance of the Sultan of Ottoman, Selim I. He was threating Europe, especially the western part, regularly and had plans to conduct a crusade into western Europe. However, Leo didn’t get the chance to play a major role in the ensuing crusade.

Family & Personal Life

On 1st December 1521, Pope Leo X breathed his last. A few days prior, he had fallen ill with bronchopneumonia that took a toll on his health. He passed away so suddenly that not even the last sacraments could be given to him. He was laid to rest in Santa Maria Sopra Minerva.

Facts About Pope Leo X

Pope Leo X was known for his lavish spending and extravagant lifestyle, often hosting elaborate parties and events at the Vatican.

He was a patron of the arts and commissioned many famous works, including Raphael's "The School of Athens" in the Vatican.

Pope Leo X was the last non-priest to be elected as Pope, as he was only a deacon at the time of his election.

He had a keen interest in music and was known for his support of musicians and composers during his papacy.

Pope Leo X was a skilled diplomat and worked to maintain peace and stability in Europe during his time as Pope.

Pope Leo X Biography

You wanted to know

When did Pope Leo X become the Pope?

What was the main controversy surrounding Pope Leo X during his papacy?

What major event occurred during Pope Leo X's papacy?

What was the significance of Pope Leo X's papacy in the history of the Catholic Church?

How did Pope Leo X's actions impact the future of the Catholic Church?