Born
2 June 1535
Birthplace
Florence, Italy
Pope from
1 April 1605
Pope until
27 April 1605
Died
27 April 1605
Who he was
A Medici, great-nephew of Leo X through his mother, he waited until his mother's death to become a priest. He was Tuscan ambassador to St Pius V for fifteen years, then Bishop of Pistoia, Archbishop of Florence and a cardinal, and as legate to France he helped restore Catholic life at the court of Henry IV. He was a close friend of St Philip Neri, who is said to have foretold his election.
What he is remembered for
He fell ill just after his coronation and died on the twenty-seventh day after his election. He is remembered for refusing, even on his deathbed, to make his beloved grand-nephew a cardinal.
Sources
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