Pope Gregory XV ( la, Gregorius XV; it, Gregorio XV; 9 January 15548 July 1623), born Alessandro Ludovisi, was head of the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...
and ruler of the
Papal States
The Papal States ( ; it, Stato Pontificio, ), officially the State of the Church ( it, Stato della Chiesa, ; la, Status Ecclesiasticus;), were a series of territories in the Italian Peninsula under the direct sovereign rule of the pope fro ...
from 9 February 1621 to his death in July 1623.
Biography
Early life
Alessandro Ludovisi was born in
Bologna
Bologna (, , ; egl, label= Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different na ...
on 9 January 1554 to Pompeo Ludovisi, the
Count
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York ...
of
Samoggia
The Samoggia is a river in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The source of the river is in the province of Modena near Zocca. The river flows northeast into the Metropolitan City of Bologna and flows near Bazzano, Crespellano, Piumazzo, Anzo ...
(now
Savigno in the
Province of Bologna) and of Camilla Bianchini. He was the third of seven children.
He was educated at the
Roman College run by the
Society of Jesus
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, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
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, founders ...
in Rome and he then went to the
University of Bologna
The University of Bologna ( it, Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna, UNIBO) is a public research university in Bologna, Italy. Founded in 1088 by an organised guild of students (''studiorum''), it is the oldest university in contin ...
to get degrees in
canon and
Roman law
Roman law is the legal system of ancient Rome, including the legal developments spanning over a thousand years of jurisprudence, from the Twelve Tables (c. 449 BC), to the '' Corpus Juris Civilis'' (AD 529) ordered by Eastern Roman emperor J ...
which he received on 4 June, 1575. His early career was as a papal jurist in Rome, and there is no evidence that he had been
ordained
Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform ...
to the
priesthood.
He returned to Rome in 1575 and he served as the Referendary of the
Apostolic Signatura from 1593 to 1596 and was appointed as the Vicegerent of Rome in 1597, a position he maintained until 1598. He also served as the Auditor of the
Sacred Roman Rota from 1599 to 1612.
On 12 March 1612,
Pope Paul V appointed him as the
Archbishop of Bologna
The Archdiocese of Bologna is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Northern Italy. The cathedra is in the cathedral church of San Pietro, Bologna. The current archbishop is Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, ...
, for which he was presumably ordained to the priesthood and then he was
consecrated
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different gro ...
a
bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ...
on 1 May of that year in the church of San Andrea al Quirinale in Rome.
In August 1616, the pope sent him as
Apostolic Nuncio to the
Duchy of Savoy, to mediate between
Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy and
Philip III of Spain in their dispute concerning the
Gonzaga Marquisate of Montferrat.
On 19 September 1616, Pope Paul V elevated him to the rank of cardinal and appointed him as a
Cardinal Priest with the
titular church of
Santa Maria in Traspontina.
Papacy
Papal conclave
Ludovisi remained in his
episcopal see
An episcopal see is, in a practical use of the phrase, the area of a bishop's ecclesiastical jurisdiction.
Phrases concerning actions occurring within or outside an episcopal see are indicative of the geographical significance of the term, mak ...
in Bologna until he went to Rome after the death of
Pope Paul V to take part in the
conclave at which he was chosen as pope and he selected the pontifical name of "Gregory XV". He was crowned on 14 February 1621 by the protodeacon, Cardinal Andrea Baroni Peretti Montalto, and assumed possession of the
Basilica of Saint John Lateran on 14 May 1621.
At the moment of his election, chiefly through the influence of Cardinal Borghese, at his advanced age (he was 67) and with his weak state of health he saw at once that he would need an energetic man, in whom he could place implicit confidence, to assist him in the government of the Church. His nephew
Ludovico Ludovisi, a young man of 25 years, seemed to him to be the right person and, at the risk of being charged with nepotism, he created him cardinal on the third day of his pontificate. On the same day, his youngest brother
Orazio was appointed
Captain General of the Church
The captain general of the Church ( it, Capitano generale della Chiesa) was the ''de facto'' commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the Papal States during the Middle Ages. The post was usually conferred on an Italian or other noble with a p ...
at the head of the papal army.
The future revealed that Gregory XV was not disappointed in his nephew. The ''Catholic Encyclopedia'' allows that "Ludovico, it is true, advanced the interests of his family in every possible way, but he also used his brilliant talents and his great influence for the welfare of the Church, and was sincerely devoted to the pope". Gregory secured for the Ludovisi two dukedoms, one for his brother Orazio, made a ''Nobile Romano'' and
Duke
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are r ...
of
Fiano Romano, 1621, and the other, the
Duchy
A duchy, also called a dukedom, is a medieval country, territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess, a ruler hierarchically second to the king or queen in Western European tradition.
There once existed an important difference between ...
of
Zagarolo, purchased from the
Colonna
The House of Colonna, also known as ''Sciarrillo'' or ''Sciarra'', is an Italian noble family, forming part of the papal nobility. It was powerful in medieval and Renaissance Rome, supplying one pope (Martin V) and many other church and pol ...
family by his nephew
Ludovico Ludovisi in 1622. A second nephew,
Niccolò, was made reigning
Prince of Piombino
The Lordship of Piombino (''Signoria di Piombino''), and after 1594 the Principality of Piombino (''Principato di Piombino''), was a small state on the Italian peninsula centred on the city of Piombino and including part of the island of Elba. ...
and Lord of the Isola d'
Elba in 1634, having married the heiress, 30 March 1632.
Actions
Gregory XV interfered little in European politics, beyond assisting
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand II (9 July 1578 – 15 February 1637) was Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, Hungary, and Croatia from 1619 until his death in 1637. He was the son of Archduke Charles II of Inner Austria and Maria of Bavaria. His parents were dev ...
, and the
Catholic League against the
Protestants
Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
—to the tune of a million gold
ducat
The ducat () coin was used as a trade coin in Europe from the later Middle Ages from the 13th to 19th centuries. Its most familiar version, the gold ducat or sequin containing around of 98.6% fine gold, originated in Venice in 1284 and gained ...
s—as well as
Sigismund III Vasa, King of the
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi-confederal state, sometimes called a federation, of Crown of the Kingdom of ...
, against the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University ...
. His ''Declaration against Magicians and Witches'' (''Omnipotentis Dei'', 20 March 1623) was the last papal ordinance against
witchcraft
Witchcraft traditionally means the use of magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually women who were believed to have ...
. Former punishments were lessened, and the death penalty was limited to those who were "proved to have entered into a
compact with the devil, and to have committed homicide with his assistance".
He was a learned theologian and manifested a reforming spirit. As an example, his
papal bull of 15 November 1621, ''
Aeterni Patris Filius'', regulated papal elections, which henceforth were to be by secret ballot; three methods of election were allowed: by scrutiny, compromise and
quasi-inspiration. On 6 January 1622, he established the
Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, the missionary arm of the
Holy See
The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of R ...
. He was influential in bringing the Bolognese artist
Guercino to Rome, a landmark in the development of the High
Baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including ...
style. He sat for his portrait busts,
one of which was by
Gian Lorenzo Bernini
Gian Lorenzo (or Gianlorenzo) Bernini (, , ; Italian Giovanni Lorenzo; 7 December 159828 November 1680) was an Italian sculptor and architect. While a major figure in the world of architecture, he was more prominently the leading sculptor of his ...
and by
Alessandro Algardi
Alessandro Algardi (July 31, 1598 – June 10, 1654) was an Italian high-Baroque sculptor active almost exclusively in Rome, where for the latter decades of his life, he was, along with Francesco Borromini and Pietro da Cortona, one of the majo ...
, whose restrained bust in a ''
tondo'' is in the Church of
Santa Maria in Vallicella.
Consistories
The pope created eleven cardinals in four consistories that saw him elevate his nephew Ludovico and his cousin
Marcantonio Gozzadini
Marcantonio Gozzadini (1574 – 1 September 1623) was an Italian Roman Catholic Cardinal.
Biography
He was born in Bologna into a patrician family. He was a cousin of Pope Gregory XV.
He studied canon and civil law at the University of ...
as cardinals; he also elevated the noted
Armand Jean Richelieu as a cardinal.
Canonizations and beatifications
On 12 March 1622, the pope canonized several saints:
Francis Xavier,
Ignatius of Loyola
Ignatius of Loyola, S.J. (born Íñigo López de Oñaz y Loyola; eu, Ignazio Loiolakoa; es, Ignacio de Loyola; la, Ignatius de Loyola; – 31 July 1556), venerated as Saint Ignatius of Loyola, was a Spanish Catholic priest and theologian ...
,
Isidore the Laborer
Isidore the Labourer, also known as Isidore the Farmer ( es, San Isidro Labrador) (c. 1070 – May 15, 1130), was a Spanish farmworker known for his piety toward the poor and animals. He is the Catholic patron saint of farmers and of Madrid, ...
,
Philip Neri and
Teresa of Ávila.
Gregory XV also beatified three individuals during his pontificate:
Ambrose Sansedoni of Siena,
Albert the Great
Albertus Magnus (c. 1200 – 15 November 1280), also known as Saint Albert the Great or Albert of Cologne, was a German Dominican friar, philosopher, scientist, and bishop. Later canonised as a Catholic saint, he was known during his life ...
, and
Peter of Alcantara.
Death and burial
He had been suffering from kidney stones for some time and was bedridden from 16 June to 1 July 1623, having been suffering from
diarrhea
Diarrhea, also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having at least three loose, liquid, or watery bowel movements each day. It often lasts for a few days and can result in dehydration due to fluid loss. Signs of dehydration often begin w ...
and a
stomach disorder
Stomach diseases include gastritis, gastroparesis, Crohn's disease and various cancers.
The stomach is an important organ in the body. It plays a vital role in digestion of foods, releases various enzymes and also protects the lower intestine ...
that caused him great discomfort. His condition worsened on 4 July, as a
fever
Fever, also referred to as pyrexia, is defined as having a temperature above the normal range due to an increase in the body's temperature set point. There is not a single agreed-upon upper limit for normal temperature with sources using val ...
greatly weakened him, leading to his receiving the
Viaticum on 5 July and the
Extreme Unction on 6 July, before succumbing to his illness two days later.
Pope Gregory XV died in the
Quirinal Palace on 8 July 1623. He was buried in the Church of
Sant'Ignazio where more than 80 years later, the Jesuits erected a magnificent monument following the wish of cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi who was also honoured in this monument.
Gregory XV was succeeded by
Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII ( la, Urbanus VIII; it, Urbano VIII; baptised 5 April 1568 – 29 July 1644), born Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 August 1623 to his death in July 1644. As po ...
.
See also
*
Cardinals created by Gregory XV
*
Ludovisi
Notes
References
*
*
Attribution:
*
*
Further reading
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gregory 15
Popes
Italian popes
Ludovisi family
Clergy from Bologna
1554 births
1623 deaths
Roman Catholic archbishops of Bologna
16th-century Italian jurists
17th-century Italian Roman Catholic archbishops
Burials at Sant'Ignazio, Rome
University of Bologna alumni
17th-century popes