|
||
Name:
Pope Clement VII
Born: Giulio de' Medici
Preceded by: Adrian VI (1522 - 1523)
Succeeded by: Paul III (1534 - 1549)
Roman Catholic Pope #220
Dates:
Born: May 24, 1478 (Italy)
Died: September 25, 1534
Pope: November 18, 1523 - September 25, 1534 (10 years, 10 months, 5 days)
Biography:
A member of the powerful Medici family, Clement VII possessed great political and
diplomatic skills - but he lacked the understanding of the age necessary to cope with
the political and religious changes he faced. His relationship with Emperor Charles V
was so bad that, in May 1527, Charles invaded Italy and sacked Rome. Imprisoned,
Clement was forced into a humiliating compromise which forced him to give up a
great deal of secular and religious power.
Because of this strife, it became impossible for the forces of orthodoxy and establishment to properly respond to the challenges posed by the growing Protestant Reformation. The pope and the emperor simply could not agree on what to do and how to react - Charles even asked Clement to call a church council, but Clement simply refused (perhaps in an attempt to avoid looking like he was under the emperor's control any more than he already was).
In an effort to appease Charles, however, Clement refused to grant King Henry VIII of England a divorce from his wife, Catherine of Aragon, who happened to be Charles' aunt. This, in turn, allowed the English Reformation to develop. Thus, political and religious dissent in both England and Germany developed and spread more readily because of Clement's failed political policies.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
Related Resources:
-->Popes and the Papacy: History, Doctrines, News About Popes
The pope may be the most visible and famous symbol of the Catholic Church. It is the office of the papacy and the assumed link back to the original apostles that differentiates Roman Catholicism from other Christian denominations. The office of the papacy is rather complicated and, much to the chagrin of believers, comes with a rather checkered past.Pope John Paul II: Biography, History, and Policies
John Paul II has been one of the longest-lived and most influential popes in the history of the Catholic Church. For good or for ill, his policies and personality have helped shape not only the current character of Catholicism but also the direction Catholicism will take for generations to come. Because of that, it's important to take the time to carefully consider what his policies have been and how they have affected Catholics around the world.Electing the Next Pope: Index of Resources on Papal Elections
Every human is mortal, and that includes popes. Some live and reign for extraordinarily long times while others only serve for a few days, but in the end all die and a new pope must be elected. How are papal elections run? A papal election is a process that is shrouded in secrecy; the details of any one election are supposed to be kept hidden, but general information is known.Book Reviews: Roman Catholic Popes, Papacy, History
Who or what is the pope? The title pope stems from the Greek word papas, which simply means "father." Early in Christian history it was used as a formal title expressing affectionate respect for any bishop and sometimes even priests. Today it continues to be used in Eastern Orthodox churches for the patriarch of Alexandria.
