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Pope Leo XI

Pope Leo XI

1535 CE1605 CE · Florence

Born Alessandro Ottaviano de' Medici in Florence, Leo XI belonged to the powerful Medici family and reigned less than a month in April 1605, earning the epithet Papa Lampo, the lightning pope. Before his election he had been a disciple of Philip Neri, Archbishop of Florence, and an influential papal legate to France who helped advance the reconciliation of Henry IV with Rome. His brief election, backed by French interests, reflected the era's contest between French and Spanish influence over the papacy. He fell ill after his coronation ceremonies and died on 27 April, leaving no time to shape policy.

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Stop 0 of 31535–1596Birthplace And Archbishop

FlorenceItaly

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About Florence

Florence, the capital of Tuscany in central Italy. A leading city of the Italian Renaissance, it hosted the Council of Ferrara-Florence (1438-1439) that briefly reunited the Latin and Greek churches, was the city of the friar Savonarola, and produced several Medici popes.

In Florence at the same time

Robert Bellarmine, Pope Urban VIII

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In the same place & time

Sages whose lives overlapped with Pope Leo XI’s in the same cities, drawn from their recorded journeys.

The world in their lifetime

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