Pope Leo XI (Italian:Leone XI; 2 June 1535 – 27 April 1605), bornAlessandro di Ottaviano de' Medici, was head of theCatholic Church and ruler of thePapal States from 1 April 1605 to his death, on 27 April 1605.[1] His pontificate is one of the briefest in history, having lasted under a month. He was from the prominentHouse of Medici originating fromFlorence.[2]
Alessandro's mother was a daughter ofLucrezia de' Medici and a sister of the influential cardinalGiovanni Salviati. Through her, Leo XI was a second cousin ofCatherine de' Medici, Queen of France (both descended fromLorenzo the Magnificent). Francesca opposed Alessandro's entering the priesthood and sought to prevent it by having him given secular honours, but after her death he eventually was ordained a priest in 1567.
Alessandro felt the call to the priesthood, but his mother opposed this since he was the only male in the family. She sent him instead to the court of theGrand Duke of Tuscany, who appointed him aknight of San Stefano. In 1560 he travelled toRome where he commenced a lifelong friendship and collaboration withPhilip Neri, the future saint. It was Philip who predicted that Alessandro would ascend to the pontificate. His mother died in 1566, at which point he resumed his studies to become a priest. His ordination took place on 22 July 1567.[5]
In 1583 he was made acardinal by Pope Sixtus V and on 9 January 1584 received the title of Cardinal-Priest ofSanti Quirico e Giulitta, after a titular church previously known asSan Ciriaco alle Terme Diocleziane. In later years, according to custom he would opt for other titular churches.[3][6]
On 14 March 1605, eleven days after the death of Clement VIII, 62 cardinals entered theconclave. Prominent among the candidates for the papacy were the greathistorianCaesar Baronius and the famousJesuit controversialistRobert Bellarmine, future saint.
ButPietro Aldobrandini, the leader of the Italian party among the cardinals, allied with the French cardinals and brought about the election of Alessandro against the express wish of KingPhilip III of Spain. KingHenry IV of France is said to have spent 300,000écus in the promotion of Alessandro's candidacy.[8]
When he was elected, Leo XI was almost 70 years of age, and he died 27 days later.[9] His death came as a result of fatigue and cold in the ceremony of taking possession of theBasilica of St John Lateran on 17 April; he started suffering from afever the following day.
