CLEMENT VII

Clement VII: translation

(Giulio de' Medici; r. 1523-1534)

Clement VII was the illegitimate son of Giuliano de'Medici, who was killed in thePazzi Conspiracy. In 1513, he was appointed archbishop ofFlorenceand cardinal by his cousin, PopeLeo X, who, in 1517, also made him his vice-chancellor. Having attained the throne in 1523, Clement was faced with the struggle between France and Spain for control over Northern Italy. In 1524, he allied himself withFrancis Iof France, but, when Francis was captured in Pavia in the following year, he had no choice but to seek the protection ofCharles V. In 1526, in an effort to limit Charles' power, the pope again changed sides, joining the League of Cognac with France, Milan, Florence, andVenice. In retaliation, Charlessacked Rome(1527) and took Clement prisoner. The pope was released after he agreed to allow Charles to occupy several cities in the Papal States. In 1529, Clement allied himself with Charles against the Protestants in Germany and the Turks, who were then advancing on Vienna. In 1530, he crowned Charles Holy Roman Emperor in exchange for the reinstatement of Medici rule in Florence. Clement was the patron ofPietro Aretinoand Niccoló Machiavelli. He commissioned fromMichelangelotheLaurentian Library(1524-1534) andNew Sacristy of San Lorenzo(1519-1534) in Florence, as well as theTransfiguration(1517; Rome, Pinacoteca Vaticana) fromRaphael.