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Pope Urban VIII

Pope Urban VIII

April 5, 1568 –July 29, 1644

Catholic priest, Patron of the arts, Writer, Catholic bishop, Jurist

Lived 76 years

Born in
Florence
Passed away in
Rome

Pope Urban VIII (Latin: Urbanus VIII; Italian: Urbano VIII; baptised 5 April 1568 – 29 July 1644), born Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 August 1623 to his death, in July 1644. As pope, he expanded the papal territory by force of arms and advantageous politicking, and was also a prominent patron of the arts, commissioning works from artists like Gian Lorenzo Bernini, and a reformer of Church missions. His papacy also covered 21 years of the Thirty Years' War.

The massive debts incurred during his pontificate greatly weakened his successors, who were unable to maintain the papacy's longstanding political and military influence in Europe. He was also an opponent of Copernicanism and was involved in the Galileo affair, which saw the astronomer tried for heresy. He is the last pope to date to take the papal name Urban.

Education: University of Pisa, Pontifical Gregorian University, College of Saint John the Evangelist

Source: Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Urban_VIII