Pope Leo XI
Pope Leo XI (Latin: Leo Undecimus; 2 June 1535 – 27 April 1605), born Alessandro Ottaviano de' Medici, was an Italian priest of the Roman Catholic Church and the 233rd Pope for only 26 days in April 1605.[1]
| Leo XI | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Papacy began | 1 April 1605 |
| Papacy ended | 27 April 1605 |
| Predecessor | Pope Clement VIII |
| Successor | Pope Paul V |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Alessandro Ottaviano de' Medici |
| Born | 2 June 1535 Florence |
| Died | 27 April 1605 (aged 69) Rome, Papal States |
| Other Popes named Leo | |
Early life
He was born in Florence. His grandmother was a sister of Leo X.[2]
Priest
In 1567, Medici was ordained as a priest.[2]
In 1569, Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, sent Father Medici to be the ambassador of Florence in the court of Pope Pius V. For 15 years in Rome, Father Medici was the representative of the city and the Medici family.[2]
Bishop
Gregory XIII made him Bishop of Pistoia in 1573. He was named Archbishop of Florence in 1574.[2]
Cardinal
Gregory raised him to the rank of cardinal in 1583.[2]
In 1596, Clement VIII sent Cardinal Medici as ambassador to the court of Henry IV of France.[2]
Pope
On 1 April 1605, Cardinal Medici was elected pope. He chose to be called Leo XI in honor of his uncle Pope Leo X.[2]
When he was elected, Leo XI was almost seventy years of age, and he died within the month. His death came as a result of fatigue and cold in the ceremony of taking possession of the Basilica of St John Lateran.[3] He was called Papa Lampo ("Lightning Pope") because his papacy was so short.
Pope Leo XI Media
Tomb of Leo XI in St. Peter's Basilica, by Alessandro Algardi
Related pages
References
Other websites
Media related to Leo XI at Wikimedia Commons
"Pope Leo XI". Catholic Encyclopedia. (1913). New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- "Leo XI" in Encyclopædia Britannica, 1911
- Catholic Hierarchy, Pope Leo XI
- Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, Cardinal Medici Archived 2013-10-29 at the Wayback Machine
- Leo XI at St Peter's Basilica
| Preceded by Clement VIII |
Pope 1605 |
Succeeded by Paul V |