The Political Popes

THE "POLITICAL POPES" Pope Sixtus IV.—The long pontificate of the Franciscan Francesco della Rovere, under the title of Pope Sixtus IV. (1471-1484), displays striking contrasts of light and shade; and with him begins the series of the so-called "political popes." It remains a lamentable fact that Sixtus IV. frequently subordinated the Father of Christendom to the Italian prince, that he passed all bounds in the preferment of his own family, and in many ways deviated into all too worldly courses. The decay of ecclesiastical discipline grew to alarming proportions under Sixtus. During his reign crying abuses continued and grew in spite of certain reforms. The nepotism in which the pope indulged is especially inex cusable. His feud with Lorenzo de' Medici culminated in the Pazzi conspiracy, the tragic sequel to which was the assassination of Giuliano de'Medici (April 26, 1478). That the pope himself was guiltless of any share in that atrocious deed is beyond dispute; but it is deeply to be regretted that his name plays a part in the history of this conspiracy. Sixtus was far from blind to the Turkish peril, but here also he was hampered by the indifference of the secular powers. Again, the close of his reign was marked by the wars against Ferrara and Naples, and subsequently against. Venice and the Colonnas ; and these drove the question of a cru sade completely into the background. In the affairs of the Church he favoured the mendicant orders, and declared against the cruel and unjust proceedings of the Spanish Inquisition. He did splendid service to art and science. The Vatican library was enriched and thrown open for public use, Platina—the historian of the popes—receiving the post of librarian. The city of Rome was transfigured. At the papal order there arose the Ponte Sisto, the hospital of San Spirito, Maria del popolo, Santa Maria della pace, and finally the Sistine chapel, for the decoration of which the most famous Tuscan and Umbrian artists were sum moned to Rome. This fresco-cycle, with its numerous allusions to contemporary history, is still preserved, and forms the noblest monument of the Rovere pope.

Innocent VIII.

This reign (1484-1492) is mainly occupied by his troubles with the faithless Ferdinand of Naples. These sprang from his participation in the War of the Barons; but to this the pope was absolutely compelled. Innocent's bull concern ing witchcraft (Dec. 5, 1484) has brought upon him many attacks. But this bull contains no sort of dogmatic decision on the nature of sorcery. The very form of the bull, which merely sums up the various items of information that had reached the pope, is enough to prove that the decree was not intended to bind anyone to belief in such things. Moreover the bull contained no essen tially new regulations as to witchcraft. It is absurd to make this document responsible for the introduction of the bloody perse cution of witches; for, according to the Sachsenspiegel, the civil law already punished sorcery with death. The action of Innocent VIII. was simply limited to defining the jurisdiction of the inquis itors with regard to magic.

Alexander

VI.—On the death of Innocent VIII. (July 25, 1492), simoniacal intrigues succeeded in procuring the election of Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia, a man of the most abandoned morals, who did not change his mode of life when he ascended the throne as Pope Alexander VI. (1492-1503). The beginning of his reign was not unpromising ; but all too soon that nepotism began which attained its height under this Spanish pope, and dominated his whole pontificate. A long series of scandals re sulted. The cardinals opposed to Alexander, headed by Giuliano della Rovere, found protection and support with Charles VIII. of France, who laid claim to Naples. In prosecution of this design the king appeared in Italy in the autumn of 1494, pursued his triumphant march through Lombardy and Tuscany, and, on Dec. 31, entered Rome. Charles had the word reform perpetually on his lips ; but it could deceive none who were acquainted with the man. At first he threatened Alexander with deposition : but on Jan. 1495, an agreement was concluded between pope and king.