Roman Catholic Pope. Giulio de' Medici was born into the famous Medici family of Florence, Italy. His uncle was the famous Lorenzo the Magnificent. Shortly after his cousin, Giovanni de' Medici, was elected Pope Leo X in 1513, he was made a cardinal. When Leo X died in 1521, Cardinal de' Medici helped get Adrian IV elected pope. After Adrian's death two years later, de' Medici was chosen pope, taking the name Clement VII, on November 18, 1523, amid much celebration in Rome. As pope, Clement had difficulty making decisions, which proved disastrous in the political climate of the time. Clement sided with the French King Francis I in a dispute with Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. In retaliation, the Imperial Army marched south and sacked Rome in 1527. Clement himself barely escaped to the Castle of St. Angelo while the soldiers murdered and pillaged throughout Rome. In 1533, Clement refused to grant King Henry VIII of England a divorce from Catharine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn causing the Church of England to forever break with Rome. After his death the following year, Pope Paul III succeeded him.

Roman Catholic Pope. Giulio de' Medici was born into the famous Medici family of Florence, Italy. His uncle was the famous Lorenzo the Magnificent. Shortly after his cousin, Giovanni de' Medici, was elected Pope Leo X in 1513, he was made a cardinal. When Leo X died in 1521, Cardinal de' Medici helped get Adrian IV elected pope. After Adrian's death two years later, de' Medici was chosen pope, taking the name Clement VII, on November 18, 1523, amid much celebration in Rome. As pope, Clement had difficulty making decisions, which proved disastrous in the political climate of the time. Clement sided with the French King Francis I in a dispute with Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. In retaliation, the Imperial Army marched south and sacked Rome in 1527. Clement himself barely escaped to the Castle of St. Angelo while the soldiers murdered and pillaged throughout Rome. In 1533, Clement refused to grant King Henry VIII of England a divorce from Catharine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn causing the Church of England to forever break with Rome. After his death the following year, Pope Paul III succeeded him.

Bio by: Frank McGady