Pope Julius II

[EZ_E]

First, a little history:

 

Most will recall that it was Pope Julius II who commissioned Michaelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel. Their relationship was precarious, to say the least.

 

Julius was known as the The Warrior Pontif because of his many excusions into battle.

 

His uncle was pope so he made his way through the Catholic ranks at an unprecedented pace. Perhaps this added to his megolomaniacal personality.

 

Julius II was determined to reclaim papal land in Italy in the early 1500's. If peaceful negotiations failed then war was the result.

 

Venice came under the pope's misfavor when they refused to relinquish the city of Romagna. As a result, the pope allowed Louis XII of France to battle for him, even though he despised the French. (This allowed Louis XII to gain a stronger foothold in Italy which almost cost Julius II his papacy and his life later on.) On May 14, 1509, the Venetian army was defeated in battle by the French at Agnadello, in northern Italy.

 

The crushing defeat of the Venetians and the return of papal lands was celebrated in Rome with a display of fireworks over the Castel Sant'Angelo. Coins tossed into the crowd were inscribed "Ivlivs Caesar Pont II" , a legend explicitly comparing the vitorious pope to his namesake, Julius Caesar. The reverse of the Julius Caesar coin bore the text for Palm Sunday, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."

 

Eventually, through luck and determination, Julius II drove the French out of Italy after nearly losing Rome to the invading army. Because of this twist of fate, the Sistine Chapel remains as one of the greatest artistic endeavors ever accomplished. Otherwise, it is questionable whether or not the French would have allowed Michaelangelo to finish the masterpiece since it was peppered with Julius II propaganda.

 

Anyway, can any scholar out there possibly post a photo of this victory coin?

 

Thanks,

 

Victor

[michael]

interesting thread victor

 

i do not know much of this topic

 

but was this the same julius the second that also had a few children too?

michael

[Elcontador]

Michael,

 

I think Popes were as licentious as the next guy until sometime in the sixteenth century. My 'favorite' Popes were Pope Innocent (like the name). I think there were three of them and they all lived in the Middle Ages. Don't know anything about Julius II.

 

In the 16th Century, the Spaniards were also involved in the fighting in northern Italy (they controlled Holland for awhile as well) and destroying Turkish sea power.

[EZ_E]

 

In the 16th Century, the Spaniards were also involved in the fighting in northern Italy (they controlled Holland for awhile as well) and destroying Turkish sea power.

 

That's true.

 

The Swiss were also hired as mercenaries although they twice bailed on the pope before even engaging in battle before finally being instrumental in defeating the French on their third excursion to Italy. Still, the pope had to bribe them beforehand in order to obtain their loyalty.