Crises in the History of the Papacy: A study of twenty famous popes whose careers and whose influence were important in the development of the church and in the history of the worldMcCabe, Joseph
History
Crises in the History of the Papacy: A study of twenty famous popes whose careers and whose influence were important in the development of the church and in the history of the world
McCabe, Joseph
Catholic Church -- History; Papacy -- History
Leo found some time for domestic matters, of which two may be noted
here. On September 23d (1513) he created four cardinals, of whom three
were relatives and one a literary friend. Bernardo Bibbiena (or Dovizo)
had, as I said, promoted his interest in the Conclave, and at earlier
times, and was an accomplished literary man; he was also entirely
devoid of moral sentiment, composed the most indecent comedy that was
enacted at the Vatican, and was a genius at organizing festivities.
Innocenzo Cibò, son of Innocent VIII.'s natural son Franceschetto and
Leo's sister Maddalena, was a youth who seemed eager to emulate the
scandalous repute of his father. Giulio de' Medici, cousin of the Pope,
had already received a Papal dispensation from illegitimacy, and the
quiet and delicate youth was advanced a little nearer to the Papacy.
Lorenzo Pucci, lastly, was quite a distinguished canonist, and a
relative of Leo; he was also expert in pushing the sale of indulgences
and very solicitous about his own commission.
Leo then regarded the fortunes of the chief lay members of his family.
His brother Giuliano, a highly cultivated man of thirty-four, was too
much softened by vice and indulgence to carry out the Medici policy
at Florence. This policy, embodied in a paper of instructions which
there is good reason to ascribe to Leo himself, was entrusted to the
Pope's nephew Lorenzo, a vigorous young sportsman. Giuliano was made
a Baron of Rome and commander of the Papal army--Leo remarking that
he trusted there would be no demand upon his military talent--and it
was so confidently rumoured that the Pope proposed to make him King
of Naples that Ferdinand was alarmed and had to be reassured. It is
still disputed whether Leo really had this intention, or whether he
merely proposed to make a small principality in central Italy for his
worthless brother; nor, in view of the secrecy and duplicity of the
Pope's methods, is the point ever likely to be settled on a documentary
basis. It seems consistent both with the course of events and with
Leo's character to suppose that he kept both alternatives in mind,
but that nepotism was not the _first_ principle of his policy: his
fundamental idea was the maintenance of his own luxurious security.[294]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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