JULIUS, jul'vils. The name of three popes. .111.ws I., Pope 337-352. llis pontificate fell in the most ditlieult times of the Arian contro versy, when the sons of Constantine were perse cuting the bishops who'remained firm in their ad herence to the doctrine defined at Nicaet. Julius gave them unflinching support. Ile examined the charges brought by the Eirsebian party against Saint Athanasins and dismissed them, writing a masterly letter to the accusers. in conjunction with the Emperor Constans he summoned the Council of Sardica (q.v). He is reckoned as a saint. and his day observed on April 12th. His letters arc in Migne. Patrologia Latina. viii.— JmArs IT.. Pope 1503-13. Giuliano della Rovere, a nephew of Sixtus IV.. who made him a cardinal in 1471. in 1480 lie was sent as legate to France, and on his return two years later filled an in creasingly important place at Rome. under both his uncle and Innocent VIII. Under Alexander VL, however. lie was in opposition; and one of his first steps on his elevation to the Papal throne was to resume possession of the which had been bestowed on Cesare Borgia. Julius himself was beyond suspicion of nepotism or selfish designs for aggrandizement; but his pontificate was chiefly devoted to political and military enterprises for the complete reestablish ment of the Papal sovereignty in its ancient terri tory, and for the extinction of foreign domination in Italy. In pursuance of his designs, he entered into the League of Cambrai (150S) with the Emperor Maximilian, Louis XII. of France, and Ferdinand of Aragon; later, when the immediate purpose of the league had been attained, fearing the ambitious designs of Louis, he withdrew and entered an opposite alliance, the Holy League.
Louis attempted to force the Pope to call a gen eral council for the reform of the Church, and actually had a synod convoked at Pisa in 1511, with the cooperation of some disaffected car dinals. Julius replied by calling the fifth Lateran Council. (See LATERAN CoucclL.) The Holy League finally triumphed over France in Upper Italy, and Bologna, Reggio, Parma, and Piacenza were assured to the Papal Government ; but death interrupted the further plans of Julius to break the Spanish power in Italy as well. On the whole, if less concerned with spiritual affairs than his office demanded, he had the qualities of a great statesman and general, and was also a liberal and judicious patron of the fine arts. Con sult: his life by Duniesnil (Paris, 1873) ; Brosch, Papst Julies 11. end die GrPnrlung des Kirchen staates (Gotha. III., Pope 1550 55, Giovanni Maria del Monte. He was born in 1487 at Rome. made Archbishop of Siponto in 1512, and of Pavia in 1520, and cardinal in 1536. He was one of the three legates appointed to open and preside over the Council of Trent, which he reopened as Pope in 1551 after its sit tings had been suspended for two years. He be gan his pontificate zealously. and with high hopes, as when he sent Cardinal Pole to England to reconcile the Kingdom. but when discouragements came upon him he lost his energy, and died in 1555.