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Leo X

Type Figure Region Florence Time 1475–1521 Also known as the Magnificent Pope

Leo X (1475–1521), born Giovanni de' Medici of the Florentine Medici family, was Roman pope from 1513 to 1521;…

Timeline

  1. 1475–1489Florence · TuscanyBorn into the prominent Medici family of Florence, he received a humanist education from childhood; his father Lorenzo de' Medici arranged his ecclesiastical career path, laying the groundwork for the family's political strategy within the Church hierarchy.
  2. 1489–1513Rome · Papal StatesMade cardinal in 1489, he took part in papal governance and diplomacy from 1501 to 1510 under Pope Julius II, maintaining influence in Roman politics through his cultural taste and family connections, paving the way for his election as pope in 1513.
  3. 1513–1521Vatican · Papal StatesAfter his election as pope in 1513 he continued the Renaissance tradition of patronage, overseeing artistic and humanist projects; his approval of indulgence sales provoked Luther's protest, from which the Reformation spread and pressure for internal Catholic reform grew heavier.

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