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Key Facts |
| Other names |
Giulio de' Medici |
| Born |
1493 |
| Location |
Florence, Italy |
| Bloodline |
de' Medici. Son of Pope Leo X |
| Married |
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| Children |
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| Position |
Pope (1523-1534) |
| Died |
September 25, 1534 (aged 41) |
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Background |
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Giulio de' Medici was born to Cardinal Giovanni de' Medici in Florence, Italy just prior to the Pazzi Conspiracy, which forced de' Medici to flee Florence finding sanctuary at Venice and Urbino. |
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On his father becoming Giovanni de' Medici becoming Pope Leo X in 1513, Giulio at aged 20 was made a Cardinal and Knight of Rhodes and Grand Prior of Capua. |
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During his father's reign as Pontiff, Cardinal Giulio de' Medici remained the principle advisor and secretary to all of his affairs, including the management of the de' Medici trading empire. |
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At the death of his father Pope Leo X on December 1, 1521 at aged 46, Cardinal Giulio de' Medici expected to succeed as the next Pope. However, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (1519-1556) of the Hapsburg and Burgundy families sought to block the power and influence of the the de' Medici. He successfully had Dutch Cardinal Adriaan Florenszoon Boeyens elected as Pope Adrian IV (1522-1523). |
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When Pope Adrian IV died on September 14, 1523, Cardinal Giulio de' Medici this time ensured he finally had sufficient votes and on November 19, 1523 was elected Pope Clement VII. |
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Pope Clement was as treacherous and dishonourable in his public conduct as his father, Pope Leo X, and drew upon himself the contempt as well as hatred of all who had dealings with him. His excesses shocked Europe, and it was his crooked ways and his cowardly subterfuges which led to the taking and pillaging of Rome by Christian troops of the Spanish king Charles V (1500-58; later Holy Roman Emperor, 1530-58). |
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Stung by Clement's perfidy, the emperor launched his cardinal-led army upon the city on 6 May 1527, and so savage was the attack that the population of Rome was reduced from 98,000 to 32,000 in eight days. |
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Included in the carnage were the deaths of 147 Swiss Guardsmen in the Vatican. Again, papal nepotism and the lust for territory had brought ruin upon the Romans: this time, arguably the worst rape of a great city in history. Rome was laid waste, its churches profaned, its treasures plundered, its libraries pillaged, people murdered, and nuns raped and tortured to death by what the Church called "a rabble of miscreants" (Catholic Encyclopedia, Pecci ed., ii. p. 166). |
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Most Evil Crimes |
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List of most evil crimes |
| Type |
Year |
Crime |
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Of open depravity associated with cannibalism, sex and murder: (1523-34) That Pope Clement VII did open key cathedrals and churches to regular acts of sexual orgies, ritualistic murder of children and cannibalism in the celebration of High Mass of Satanism of Christianity. |
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Of murder: (1523) Como, Italy 1000 people are burned as witches at Como, Italy. |
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Of crimes against humanity: (1523-34) Cesena massacre 9000 people, including children, are slaughtered at Cesena under Clement VII's instruction according to chronicler Paulus Jovius. |
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Of heresy, open corruption and contempt to all church law: (1523-34) That Pope Clement VII did appoint teenager homosexual lovers to the positions of authority, did engage in astrology and theft of church property for his family and allies. |
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Of regular and institutional sodomy and murder of children: (1523-34) That Pope Clement VII did continue the now Catholic clerical tradition of institutionalized homosexuality and sodomy of children, especially young boys. |
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Of murder: (1525) William Tyndale is executed by Catholic Church after printing English New Testament "so every plowboy might read it". |
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Of murder: (1529) Luxeuil Witch Madame Desle la Mansenee is tortured then hanged as witch at Luxeuil, France, based on gossip gathered secretly by Inquisitor-General of Besancon. |
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Of murder: (1530) Alonca de Vargas is burned at stake for smiling inappropriately at mention of Blessed Virgin. |
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Of murder: (1530) Alonso De Jaen is burned at stake for urinating against church wall. |
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Of attempted extortion: (1531) Pope Clement VII did attempt to extort a large payment from King Henry VIII for approval of the annulment of his marriage. That upon the refusal to grant divorce unless bribe is paid, King Henry VIII breaks from Catholic Church after being refused divorce from Catherine of Aragon; becomes Supreme Head of Church of England. |
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Of crimes against humanity: (1532) 1000s suffer after Holy Roman Empire issues Carolina Code directing all witchcraft defendants undergo torture before death. |
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