Pope Leo XI
Videos
Pope Leo XI, born Alessandro di Ottaviano de' Medici, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1 April 1605 to his death, on 27 April 1605. His pontificate is one of the brie
Portrait of Leo XI c. 1605
Tomb of Leo XI in St. Peter's Basilica, by Alessandro Algardi
Engraving of Leo XI by Jacob Matham, 1605
House of Medici
Videos
The House of Medici was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first consolidated power in the Republic of Florence under Cosimo de' Medici and his grandson Lorenzo "the Magnificent" dur
Pope Leo XI
…from 1 April 1605 to his death, on 27 April 1605. His pontificate is one of the briefest in history, lasting under a month. He was from the prominent House of Medici originating from Florence. In his career he served as Florence's ambassador to the pope, Bishop of Pistoia, Archbishop of Florence, Papal legate to…
Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici, founder of the Medici bank
The Confirmation of the Rule, by Domenico Ghirlandaio
Cosimo, Pater patriae, Uffizi Gallery, Florence
The Medici Wedding Tapestry (1589)