Pope urban viii biography for kids

Pope Urban VIII facts for kids

"Maffeo Barberini" redirects here. For his great-nephew, see Maffeo Barberini (1631–1685).

Quick facts for kids

PopeUrban VIII
Bishop of Rome

Portrait by Pietro da Cortona, c. 1624–1627
(oil world power canvas, Capitoline Museums)

ChurchCatholic Church
Papacy began6 August 1623
Papacy ended29 July 1644
PredecessorGregory XV
SuccessorInnocent X
Orders
Ordination24 September 1592
Consecration28 October 1604
by Fabio Blondus even out Montealto
Created Cardinal11 September 1606
Personal details
Birth nameMaffeo Vincenzo Barberini
Born5 Apr 1568
Barberino Val d'Elsa, Duchy of Florence
Died29 July 1644 (aged 76)
Rome, Lazio, Papal States
ParentsAntonio Barberini & Camilla Barbadoro
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  • Referendary admire the Apostolic Signatura (1589–1592)
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  • Titular Archbishop of Town (1604–1608)
  • Apostolic Nuncio to France (1604–1606)
  • Cardinal-Priest of San Montorio (1607–1610)
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Other Popes named Urban

Pope Urban VIII (Latin: Urbanus VIII; Italian: Urbano VIII; baptised 5 April 1568 – 29 July 1644), born Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler ferryboat the Papal States from 6 August 1623 to his litter in July 1644. As pope, he expanded the papal locale by force of arms and advantageous politicking, and was further a prominent patron of the arts and a reformer designate Church missions.

However, the massive debts incurred during his pontificate greatly weakened his successors, who were unable to maintain the papacy's longstanding political and military influence in Europe. He was besides an opponent of Copernicanism and involved in the Galileo topic. He is the last pope to date to take picture pontifical name "Urban".

Biography

Early life

C. 1598 painting of Maffeo Barberini artificial age 30 by Caravaggio.

Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini was born in Apr 1568, the son of Antonio Barberini, a Florentine nobleman, take Camilla Barbadoro. He was born at Barberino Val d'Elsa connect "Tafania" house. His father died when he was only iii years old and his mother took him to Rome, where he was put in the charge of his uncle, Francesco Barberini, an apostolic protonotary. At the age of 16, explicit became his uncle's heir. He was educated by the Kinship of Jesus ("Jesuits"), and received a doctorate of law let alone the University of Pisa in 1589.

In 1601, Barberini, through say publicly influence of his uncle, was able to secure from Holy father Clement VIII appointment as a papal legate to the monotonous of King Henry IV of France. In 1604, the equate pope appointed him as the Archbishop of Nazareth, an nerve centre joined with that of Bishop of the suppressed Dioceses weekend away Canne and Monteverde, with his residence at Barletta. At depiction death of his uncle, he inherited his riches, with which he bought a palace in Rome, which he made succeed a luxurious Renaissance residence.

Pope Paul V also later employed Barberini in a similar capacity, afterwards raising him, in 1606, hurtle the order of the Cardinal-Priest, with the titular church fortify San Pietro in Montorio and appointing him as a apostolic legate of Bologna.

Papacy

Gold quadruplacoin of Pope Urban VIII, struck undergo the Avignonmint, dated 1629
Papal styles of
Pope Urban VIII
Reference styleHis Holiness
Spoken styleYour Holiness
Religious styleHoly Father
Posthumous styleNone

Papal election

Main article: 1623 papal conclave

Barberini was considered someone who could be elected style pope, though there were those such as Cardinal Ottavio Bandini who worked to prevent it. Despite this, throughout 29–30 July, the cardinals began an intense series of negotiations to unswerving the numbers as to who could emerge from the conclave as pope, with Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi dismissing Barberini's chances likewise long as Barberini remained a close ally of Cardinal Scipione Borghese, whose faction Barberini supported. Ludovisi had discussions with Cardinals Farnese, Medici and Aldobrandini on 30 July about seeing go to see Barberini's election. The three supported his candidacy and went induce securing the support of others, which led to Barberini's plebiscite just over a week later. On 6 August 1623, equal height the papal conclave following the death of Pope Gregory XV, Barberini was chosen as Gregory XV's successor and took interpretation name Urban VIII. His coronation had to be postponed until 29 September 1623 since the new pontiff was ill weightiness the time of his election.

Activities

Engraving of Pope Urban VIII

Urban VIII's papacy covered 21 years of the Thirty Years' War, (1618-1648) and was an eventful one, even by the standards see the day. He canonizedElizabeth of Portugal, Andrew Corsini and Writer of Piacenza, and issued the papal bulls of canonization seek out Ignatius of Loyola (founder of the Society of Jesus, "Jesuits") and Francis Xavier (also a Jesuit), who had been authorized by his predecessor, Pope Gregory XV.

Despite an early friendship stand for encouragement for his teachings, Urban VIII was responsible for summon the scientist and astronomer Galileo to Rome in 1633 make out recant his work. Urban VIII was opposed to Copernican heliocentrism and he ordered Galileo's second trial after the publication reduce speed Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems, in which Urban's point of view is argued by the character "Simplicio".

Urban Cardinal practiced nepotism on a grand scale; various members of his family were enormously enriched by him, so that it seemed to contemporaries as if he were establishing a Barberini 1 He elevated his brother Antonio Marcello Barberini (Antonio the Elder) and then his nephews Francesco Barberini and Antonio Barberini (Antonio the Younger) to Cardinal. He also bestowed upon their relation, Taddeo Barberini, the titles Prince of Palestrina, Gonfalonier of say publicly Church, Prefect of Rome and Commander of Sant'Angelo. Historian Leopold von Ranke estimated that during his reign, Urban VIII's abrupt family amassed 105 million scudi in personal wealth.

Urban VIII was a skilled writer of Latin verse, and a collection adherent Scriptural paraphrases as well as original hymns of his roughage have been frequently reprinted.

The 1638 papal bull Commissum Nobis sheltered the existence of Jesuitmissions in South America by forbidding interpretation enslavement of natives who were at the Jesuit Reductions. Smash into the same time, Urban VIII repealed the Jesuit monopoly be sure about missionary work in China and Japan, opening these countries equal missionaries of other orders and missionary societies.

Urban VIII issued a 1624 papal bull that made the use of tobacco livestock holy places punishable by excommunication; Pope Benedict XIII repealed description ban one hundred years later.

Canonizations and beatifications

Urban VIII canonized fivesome saints during his pontificate: Stephen Harding (1623), Elizabeth of Portugal and Conrad of Piacenza (1625), Peter Nolasco (1628), and Andrea Corsini (1629). The pope also beatified 68 individuals, including depiction Martyrs of Nagasaki (1627).

Consistories

Main article: Cardinals created by Urban VIII

Bust of Urban VIII, Gianlorenzo Bernini, 1637–8

The pope created 74 cardinals in eight consistories throughout his pontificate, and this included his nephews Francesco and Antonio, cousin Lorenzo Magalotti, and the pope's own brother Antonio Marcello. He also created Giovanni Battista Pamphili as a cardinal, with Pamphili becoming his immediate successor Pontiff Innocent X. The pope also created eight of those cardinals whom he had reserved in pectore.

Policy on private revelation

In say publicly papal bull Sanctissimus Dominus Noster of 13 March 1625, City instructed Catholics not to venerate the deceased or represent them in the manner of saints without Church sanction. It prearranged a bishop’s approval for the publication of private revelations. Since the nineteenth century, it has become common for books take up popular devotion to carry a disclaimer. One read in part: "In obedience to the decrees of Urban the Eighth, I declare that I have no intention of attributing any upset than a purely human authority to the miracles, revelations, favours, and particular cases recorded in this book..."

Politics

Urban VIII's military curiosity was aimed less at the restoration of Catholicism in Continent than at adjusting the balance of power to favour his own independence in Italy. In 1626, the duchy of Urbino was incorporated into the papal dominions, and, in 1627, when the direct male line of the Gonzagas in Mantua became extinct, he controversially favoured the succession of the Duke River of Nevers against the claims of the Habsburgs. He along with launched the Wars of Castro in 1641 against Odoardo Farnese, Duke of Parma and Piacenza, whom he excommunicated. Castro was destroyed and its duchy incorporated into the Papal States.

Urban 7 was the last pope to extend the papal territory. Subside fortified Castelfranco Emilia on the Mantuan frontier and commissioned Vincenzo Maculani to fortify the Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome. Urban Eight also established an arsenal in the Vatican, an arms second class at Tivoli and fortified the harbour of Civitavecchia.

For the bourns of making cannon and the baldacchino in St Peters, conclude bronze girders were pillaged from the portico of the Pantheon leading to the well known lampoon: quod non fecerunt barbari, fecerunt Barberini, "what the barbarians did not do, the Barberini did."

Patron of the arts

Urban VIII expended vast sums bringing polymaths like Athanasius Kircher to Rome and funding various substantial scowl by the sculptor and architect Bernini, from whom he challenging already commissioned Boy with a Dragon around 1617 and who was particularly favored during Urban VIII's reign. As well orangutan several portrait busts of Urban, Urban commissioned Bernini to preventable on the family palace in Rome, the Palazzo Barberini, say publicly College of the Propaganda Fide, the Fontana del Tritone flat the Piazza Barberini, the baldacchino and cathedra in St Peter's Basilica and other prominent structures in the city. Numerous comrades of Barberini's family also had their likeness caught in material by Bernini, such as his brothers Carlo and Antonio. Cityfied also had rebuilt the Church of Santa Bibiana and picture Church of San Sebastiano al Palatino on the Palatine Hill.

The Barberini patronised painters such as Nicolas Poussin and Claude Lorrain. One of the most eulogistic of these artistic works meticulous its celebration of his reign, is the huge Allegory disregard Divine Providence and Barberini Power painted by Pietro da Cortona on the ceiling of the large salon of the Palazzo Barberini.

The Barberini Vase, now re-named the Portland Vase

Another such strongly, in a vast collection, was the purchase of the 'Barberini vase'. This was allegedly found at the mausoleum of say publicly Roman Emperor Severus Alexander and his family at Monte Draw Grano. The discovery of the vase is described by Pietro Santi Bartoli and referenced on page 28 of a make a reservation on The Portland Vase. Pietro Bartoli indicates that the vase contained the ashes of the Roman Emperor. However, this compressed with the interpretations of the scenes depicted on it blow away the source of countless theories and disputed 'facts'. The vase remained in the Barberini family collection for some 150 geezerhood before passing through the hands of Sir William Hamilton Minister to the Royal Court in Naples. It was later oversubscribed to the Duke and Duchess of Portland, and has in a few words been known as the Portland Vase. Following catastrophic damage, that glass vase (1-25BC) has been reconstructed three times and resides in the British Museum. The Portland vase itself was borrowed and near copied by Josiah Wedgewood who appears to imitate added modesty drapery. The vase formed the basis of Jasperware.

Later life

Statue of Pope Urban VIII sculpted by Gian Lorenzo Berniniand his students between 1635 and 1640, and on display representative the Palazzo dei Conservatori in Rome

A consequence of these personnel and artistic endeavours was a massive increase in papal indebtedness. Urban VIII inherited a debt of 16 million scudi, swallow by 1635 had increased it to 28 million.

According to coexistent John Bargrave, in 1636 members of the Spanish faction personal the College of Cardinals were so horrified by the deportment of Pope Urban VIII that they conspired to have him arrested and imprisoned (or killed) so that they could change him with a new pope; namely Laudivio Zacchia. When Cityfied VIII travelled to Castel Gandolfo to rest, the members lady the Spanish faction met in secret and discussed ways put up advance their plan. But they were discovered and the catholic raced back to Rome where he immediately held a consistory and demanded to know who the new pope was. Be introduced to put an end to the conspiracy, the pope decreed think it over all Cardinal-Bishops should leave Rome and return to their untrained churches.

With the Spanish plan having failed, by 1640 the obligation had reached 35 million scudi, consuming more than 80% unscrew annual papal income in interest repayments.

Death and legacy

Bust by Giovanni Gonnelli
Constitutio contra astrologos iudiciarios, 1631

Urban VIII's death on 29 July 1644 is said to have been hastened by chagrin put behind you the result of the Wars of Castro. Because of depiction costs incurred by the city of Rome to finance that war, Urban VIII became immensely unpopular with his subjects.

On his death, the bust of Urban VIII that lay beside interpretation Palace of the Conservators on the Capitoline Hill was immediately destroyed by an enraged crowd, and only a quick-thinking clergyman saved the sculpture of the late pope belonging to rendering Jesuits from a similar fate.

Following his death, international and household machinations resulted in the papal conclave not electing Cardinal Giulio Cesare Sacchetti, who was closely associated with some members achieve the Barberini family. Instead, it elected Cardinal Giovanni Battista Pamphili, who took the name of Innocent X, as his peer at the papal conclave of 1644.

Portrayals in fiction

Urban VIII crack a recurring character in the Ring of Firealternative history hypernovel by Eric Flint et al. where he is favorably portray. He is especially prominent in 1634: The Galileo Affair (in which he makes the fictional Grantville priest, Larry Mazzare, a cardinal), and in 1635: The Cannon Law, 1635: The Pontifical Stakes, and 1636: The Vatican Sanction. He is somewhat wellbroughtup favorably presented in Galileo's Dream by Kim Stanley Robinson.

See also

In Spanish: Urbano VIII para niños

  • Barberini
  • Wars of Castro
  • Portrait of Maffeo Barberini
  • Cardinals created by Urban VIII
  • Pontificio Collegio Urbano de Propaganda Fide

Works

  • (in it) Constitutio contra astrologos iudiciarios. Roma: eredi Vittorio Benacci. 1631. https://gutenberg.beic.it/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=13346228.