Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 07.djvu/330

LEFT PIUS 264 PIUS occasioned some dispute with Louis XI. In 1463, by another bull, he retracted his former sentiments respecting the Coun- cil of Basel, condemning his defense of it. Among the writings of Pius II. are a "History of the Council of Basel"; "History of Frederick III."; "History of Bohemia"; "Cosmographia," etc. He died in Ancona, August, 1464. Pius III. (Francesco Piccolomini), nephew of the preceding pontiff. He was elected Pope in 1503, but died in less than a month afterward. Pius IV. (Cardinal de Medici) ; born in Milan, in 1499. He rose by merit to several high employments, and, in 1549, obtained the cardinalship, and, on the death of Paul IV., in 1559, was elected Pope. He confirmed the decrees of the Council of Trent, after the closing of that assembly in 1564. In the follow- ing year a conspiracy was formed against his life by Benedict Accolti and others, who were executed. This Pope was not of the celebrated Medici family of Florence. He died in 1565. Pius V. (Michele Ghislieri) ; bom in Redmont in 1504, and early entered the Dominican order. He so distingriished himself by his austere life, and his zeal against heretics, that he was appointed inquisitor in Lombardy, and afterward inquisitor-general. He was created car- dinal in 1557, and was chosen to suc- ceed Pius IV. in 1566. He set himself to effect reforms, both in morals and discipline, excited terror in Italy by the seizure, imprisonment, and burning of those convicted or suspected of heresy, expelled the Jews from the States of the Church, excepting only the cities of Rome and Ancona. The great victory over the Turks at Lepanto was the result in good part of the efforts of Pius V. Died 1572. Pius VI. (Giovanni Angelo Braschi) ; born in Cesena, in 1717, and succeeded Clement XIV. in 1775. His first act was to make a reform in the public treasury; he then completed the museum in the Vatican; but the greatest work of his pontificate was the draining of the Pon- tine marshes. When the Emperor Jos- eph II. decreed that all the religious or- ders in his dominions were free from papal jurisdiction, Pius went in person to Vienna in 1782, but his remonstrances were ineffectual. The French Revolu- tion, however, was of more serious con- sequence to the Papal See. The Pope having favored the allies, Bonaparte en- tered the ecclesiastical territory, and compelled him to purchase a peace by a contribution of several millions, and de- livering up the finest works of painting and sculpture. Basserville was then sent as envoy from the republic to Rome, where he behaved with so much inso- lence, that the people assassinated him in 1793. General Duphot entered the city with his troops to restore order, but the papal soldiers routed them, and Duphot was slain. On this Bonaparte again en- tered Italy, and made the Pope prisoner in the capitol, which was plundered. The venerable pontiff was carried away by the victors, and hurried over the Alps to Valence, where he died Aug. 29, 1799. Pius VII. (Gregorio Barnaba Chiara- monti) ; born in Cesena, in 1742; became a Benedictine monk; was created cardi- nal in 1785, and after the death of Pius VI. was chosen to succeed him, March, 1800. In 1804 the Pope went to Paris and crowned Napoleon emperor, return- ing to Rome in May, 1805. Soon after Ancona was seized by the French, and the great quarrel between Napoleon and the Pope began. The occupation of the castle of San Angelo in 1808 was fol- lowed by the annexation of the States of the Church to the French empire. Pius was arrested by the French officer Miollis and sent to Savona, and after- ward to Fontainebleau, whence he was not permitted to return to Italy till Jan- uary, 1814. The Congress of Vienna re- stored the States of the Church to the Pope, who applied himself thenceforth to internal reforms. He, however, re- established the Jesuits and the inquisi- tion. The character of Pius VII. was such as to vdn him the esteem and sym- pathy of men of all Churches and sects. He died Aug. 20, 1823. Pius VIII. (Cardinal Castiglione), be- came Pope in succession to Leo XII., in 1829. After a short pontificate of one year, he died in 1830. Pius IX. (Giovanni Mario Mastai Fer- retti) ; born in Sinigaglia, May 13, 1792; was intended for the army, but resolved to devote himself to the Church. For several years attended to pastoral duties and was nominated by Pius VII. on a mission to the government of Chile. On his return to Rome he was appointed by Leo XII. to one of the most important of the ecclesiastico-civil departments of administration. In 1836 he was sent as apostolic nuncio to Naples, while the cholera was raging there, and his name is still revered by the poorer inhabitants of that city, in gratitude for his disin- terested efforts to alleviate their suffer- ings. In 1840 he was created Cardinal- Archbishop of Imola, in the Romagna, where much political disaffection existed; He ruled this diocese with so much zeal and self-denial, and displayed such liber- ality of sentiment, that he soon gained the affections of the people, and restored peace and tranquility to the district. Pope Gregory XVI. died June 1, 1846.