Pope Julius III
A Renaissance pope whose lavish tastes and political compromises failed to halt the Protestant Reformation he was tasked with fighting.
1487–1555 (age 68)·Head of the Catholic Church from 1550 to 1555·Birthday: September 10
Biography
Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte was born into Roman nobility, his career in the Church shaped by the turbulent politics of 16th-century Italy. He served as a cardinal and co-president of the Council of Trent, the Catholic Church's great counter-reformation assembly, before his election as Pope Julius III in 1550. His papacy began with promise, as he reconvened the Council in 1551, but it quickly became defined by indulgence and nepotism. He lavished wealth and the cardinal's hat on his teenage adopted nephew, Innocenzo, a move that caused widespread scandal. Julius retreated to the luxurious Villa Giulia, a pleasure palace just outside Rome, where he hosted extravagant banquets and immersed himself in art and music, largely neglecting the pressing religious crises of the day. His reign saw the effective suspension of the Council of Trent and a failed military campaign to reclaim parts of Italy from rival powers. When he died in 1555, he left a church financially drained and a reformation still unchecked, a missed opportunity for decisive leadership.
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The biggest hits of 1487
Pope's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1487Born
1492Started school
1500Became a teenager
1503Could drive
1505Could vote
1508Turned 21
1517Turned 30
1527Turned 40
1537Turned 50
1547Turned 60
1555Died at 68
Key Achievements
- Reconvened the Council of Trent in 1551, though it was suspended again in 1552 without major reforms being finalized.
- Commissioned the construction of the elaborate Mannerist Villa Giulia in Rome, now home to the National Etruscan Museum.
- Appointed Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina as his maestro di cappella, supporting the development of Renaissance polyphony.
- Established the Collegium Germanicum in 1552, a seminary for training German priests to combat Protestantism in their homeland.
Did You Know?
His adopted 'nephew,' Innocenzo Ciocchi del Monte, was a street urchin Julius had taken a liking to; the appointment of the 17-year-old as a cardinal was hugely controversial.
He kept a pet monkey dressed in cardinal's robes, which reportedly bit the noses of visiting dignitaries.
The portrait of him by Raphael is one of the master's last works.
He suffered severely from gout, which contributed to his political inactivity in his later years.
“The authority of the Holy See must be restored, by any means necessary.”
