The Papacy of the Renaissance

Fountain of Humanism or Cesspool of Corruption?

Job Description of the Pope

Personify the Church and its Teachings

Represent Catholicism

Definition of Corruption

moral perversion; depravity

Calixtus III (1455-1458)Background Information

Borgia

No interest in the arts

Calixtus III (1455-1458)Papacy

Crusade to retake Constantinople

Funded by indulgences, taxes

Interference frustrated France and Germany

Gifts to relatives and allies

For own protection

Nepotism

Nephew Pedro Luis

Governor of Castel Sant’Angelo and prefect of Rome

Two other nephews become cardinals

Rodrigo Borgia

Vice-chancellor of the curia

Later Pope Alexander VI

Pius II (1458-1464)Background Information

Considered humanist, historian, statesman as well

Humanistic studies under Francesco Filelfo

Behavior in youth

Refused becoming priest due to licentious lifestyle

Pope Pius II by Pinturicchio

Pius IIBackground Information

Writings:

Lucretia and Eurialus

Style of Boccaccio

Epistolary novel

Series of love letters

Antiquarianism

Quotes Virgil

Written in Latin

Chrisis

Latin Comedy

Style of Terrence

Playwright from Roman Republic

"I am a man, I consider nothing that is human alien to me."

Commentaries

Pius IIBackground Information

Diplomat for Frederick III

Diet of Nuremburg and Diet of Frankfurt

Settled hostilities toward the Pope

Concordant of Vienna

Made cardinal in return for diplomatic successes by Calixtus III

Pius IIPapacy

Decrease in overt humanism

Crusade against the Turks

Fall of Constantinople

Participants cleansed of sins

Execrabilis et in pristinis temporibus inauditus

Bull

Councils claiming more power than Pope charged with heresy

Nepotism

Cardinal to nephew Francesco Toedschini Piccolomini

Later Pope Pius III

Sixtus IV (1471-1484)Background Information

Franciscan Order as child

Studied philosophy and theology

Pope Sixtus IV by Justus van Gent and Pedro Berruguete

Vatican LibraryWanted Vatican to become center of European learning

Increased collection to 3,498 codices

Commissioned Melozzo da Forlì

Artwork to highlight his contributions

Melozzo da ForlìAppoints Bartolomeo Plantina as Librarian

Humanist

Points at phrase

“Builder of temples, roads, squares, walls, bridges”

Three Nephews

Perspective

Antoniazzo Romano

Created frescoes for the Church

Annunciation Madonna and Child Nativity with Sts Lawrence and Andrew

Baccio PontelliArchitect

Works include:

Ponte Sisto

Santo Spirito Hospital

Santa Maria del Popolo basilica

Sistine Chapel

Sistine Chapel

Sistine Chapel

Sandro Botticelli

Domenico Ghirlandaio

Pinturicchio

Luca Signorelli

The Punishment of Korah and the Stoning of Moses and Aaron by Sandro Botticelli

Saint Sixtus II by Sandro Botticelli

Calling of the Apostles by Domenico Ghirlandaio

Moses’s Treatment and Death by Luca Signorelli

Sixtus IVPapacy

Foreign Affairs

Wars vs. Turks

Legates sent to France, Spain, Hungary, Germany, Poland

Denouncement of Louis XI

Failed attempt to unite Russian and Roman Church

Italian Politics

Nepotism

Nephew Cardinal Rafael Riario

Supports Venetian attack of Ferrara

Nephew Girolamo Riario’s possession

Conspiracy of the Pazzi

Planned by nephew Cardinal Rafael Riario

Overthrow Midici→ Riarii dominate Florence

Two year war against Florence

Sixtus IVPapacy

Innocent VIII (1484-1492)Background Information

Two illegitimate children

Franceschetto and Teodorina

Served Cardinal Calandrini

Bishop

of Savona (1467)

of Molfetta (1472)

Signed election capitulation (1482)

Protect the interests of the electors

Innocent VIIIPapacy

Relied heavily on Cardinal della Rovere (later Pope Julius II)

Crusade against infidels (those who were not baptized)

1498 treaty with Bayezid II

Payment of 40,000 ducats

Holy Lance (spear used in Crucifixion)

Detainment of brother Jem

Excommunication

King Ferdinand of Naples

Did not pay papal dues

Kingdom given to Charles VIII of France, but then returned in 1492

Those who read works by Pico della Mirandola

Innocent VIIIPapacy

Proclaimed King Henry VII as true King of England

Summis desiderantes

Bull combating heresy

Witchcraft in Germany

Indulgences

Granted to those who participated in crusade against Waldenses

Nepotism

Capture of Granada

Ferdinand of Aragon becomes “Catholic Majesty”

Franceschetto

Given several towns

Married to daughter of Lorenzo de Medici

Alexander VI (1492-1503)Background information

Borgia

Studied law at Bologna

Cardinal-Deacon of San Nicola in Carcer

Age: 25

Vice-Chancellor of Holy Roman Church

Appointed by Uncle Pope Calixtus III

Cardinal-Bishop of AlbanoPope Alexander VI by Cristofano

dell’Altissimo

Alexander VIFamily Tree

(1) by Vannozza de Catanei

Cesare(Cardinal)

Giovanni(2nd duke of Gandia)

Lucrezia Joffré

(2) by Guilia Farnese

Rodrigo Giovanni

(3) by unknown mistress

Pedro Luis(1st duke of Gandia)

unknown children

Alexander VIPapacy

Nepotism

Cesare

Archibishop of Valencia

Cardinal

Giovanni

Dukedom of Gandia

Relationships/Alliances

Daughter Lucrezia

Married to Giovanni Sforza

Alliance with Urbino

Married to Duke of Bisceglie

Son of Alfonso II

Married to Alfonzo d’Este, Duke of Ferrara

King of France

Double crossed and allied with Naples

Alexander VIPapacy

College of Cardinals

Created 12 new cardinal positions

Upsets French

Alexander bribes Bishop of Saint-Malo

Prevents French deposition of him

Conquer Naples

Finances

Confiscates wealth from wealthy men of Rome and Church

Papal opposition

Excommunicated and killed

i.e. Savonarola

Alexander VIPapacy

Rumors

Incest

Lucrezia

Murder

Duke of Bisceglie (2nd husband of Lucrezia)

princes

Orsini clan

Condottieri

Wealthy cardinals

The Papacy of the RenaissanceFountain of Humanism or Cesspool of Corruption?

Humanism

Found in some popes

Patrons of the arts

Sixtus IV

Julius II

Humanist studies/Background

Pius II

Sixtus IV

Corruption

Found in every pope

Themes:

Political power

Wealth/lavish lifestyle

Nepotism

Simony

Immoral behaviors

Sources

http://www.adishakti.org/_/papacy_in_historical_perspective_the_seldom_told_history.htm

http://www.svcc.edu/academics/classes/murray/Ezine/sistine.html

Photo SourcesPortrait of Callixtus: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-HE1lR1mlb8/TL57aFZmK3I/AAAAAAAADUE/AMu6lhbtqNk/s1600/callistus_iii.jpg

Portrait of Pius II: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pintoricchio_014.jpg

Portrait of Sixtus IV: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pope_Sixtus_IV_%28head%29.jpg

Commentaries: http://covers.openlibrary.org/w/id/412119-L.jpg

Vatican Library Image: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/23/arts/design/23libr.html

Bartolomeo Plantina’s Appointment: http://thiswritelife.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/vatican-library-melozzo.jpg

Annunciation:http://www.wga.hu/index1.html

Madonna and Child:http://www.wga.hu/index1.html

Photo SourcesNativity with Sts Lawrence and Andrew:http://www.wga.hu/index1.html

Exterior of Sistine Chapel: http://www.scanopia.com/michelangelo/exterior-of-the-sistine-chapel.html

The Punishment of Korah and the Stoning of Moses and Aaron: http://www.wga.hu/index1.html

St. Sixtus II: http://www.wga.hu/index1.html

Calling of the Apostles: http://www.wga.hu/index1.html

Moses’s Treatment and Death: http://www.wga.hu/index1.html

Portrait of Innocent VIII: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Innocent_VIII_1492.JPG

Portrait of Alexander VI: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pope_Alexander_Vi.jpg