Who he was
Born in Rome to a noble family from Siena, he was a skilled canon lawyer who became a cardinal in 1596 and Cardinal Vicar of Rome. He kept clear of factions and was chosen without promises to anyone. As pope he ruled firmly by the letter of Church law, beginning by sending absent bishops back to their dioceses as Trent required.
What he is remembered for
His long quarrel with Venice over the rights of the clergy led him to lay the city under interdict in 1606, until France and Spain brokered a settlement the next year. He completed St Peter's, whose façade carries his name, enriched the Vatican Library, and canonised St Charles Borromeo and St Frances of Rome. He beatified St Ignatius, St Francis Xavier, St Philip Neri and St Teresa of Ávila.
Sources
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