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Pope Paul IV

Type Figure Region Rome Time 1476–1559 Also known as Pope Paul IV、保禄四世、保罗四世、Gian Pietro Carafa

Pope Paul IV (1476–1559), born Gian Pietro Carafa, reigned 1555–1559; a hardline Counter-Reformer who established the Roman Inquisition, issued the I…

Timeline

  1. 1476–1555Kingdom of Naples · CampaniaBorn into Neapolitan nobility, he entered the clergy and took part in discussions of religious reform; in 1536 he co-founded the Theatines with Gasparo Contarini and others, and in 1542 became the first cardinal-inquisitor of the Inquisition, known for his severity against heresy.
  2. 1555–1559Rome · LazioAfter his election as pope in 1555 he strengthened the Counter-Reformation: establishing the Roman Inquisition and issuing the papal Index of Forbidden Books in 1559; pursuing an anti-Spanish policy, he clashed with King Philip II of Spain in the Papal War of 1557, and in his late years was widely criticized for his radical policies.

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