Pietro Barbo
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Pope Paul II |
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| Bishop of Rome | |
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| Papacy began | 30 August 1464 |
| Papacy ended | 26 July 1471 |
| Predecessor | Pius II |
| Successor | Sixtus IV |
| Orders | |
| Created Cardinal | 1 July 1440 by Pope Eugene IV |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Pietro Barbo |
| Born |
23 February 1417 Venice, Republic of Venice |
| Died | 26 July 1471 (aged 54) Rome, Papal States |
| Previous post |
Cardinal-Deacon of Santa Maria Nuova (1440–1451) Apostolic Administrator of Cervia (1440–1451) Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter (1445-?) Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals (1445–1446; 1460–1461) Bishop of Vicenza (1451–1464) Cardinal-Priest of San Marco (1451–1464) Bishop of Padova (1459–1460) Abbot Ordinary of Montecassino (1465–1471) |
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Papal styles of Pope Paul II |
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| Reference style | His Holiness |
| Spoken style | Your Holiness |
| Religious style | Holy Father |
| Posthumous style | None |
Pope Paul II (Latin: Paulus II; 23 February 1417 – 26 July 1471), born Pietro Barbo, was Pope from 30 August 1464 to his death in 1471.
Paul was born in Venice, a nephew of Pope Eugenius IV (1431–1447) through his mother. Through his father he was a member of the noble Barbo family. His adoption of the spiritual career, after having been trained as a merchant, was prompted by his uncle's election as pope. His consequent promotion was rapid; and the ambitious young cleric became a cardinal in 1440 and gained popularity through his generosity. He boasted that if elected pope he would buy each cardinal a villa to escape the summer heat.
After having been lay abbot of Santa Maria in Sylvis since 1441, in 1445 he succeeded Giuliano Cesarini as archpriest of the Vatican Basilica. Platina reported that Pius II suggested he should have been called Maria Pietissima (Our Lady of Pity), as "when he could not obtain what he aimed at by praying, entreating, and requesting, he would join tears to his petitions to make them the sooner believed." Some historians have suggested the nickname may also have been an allusion either to Paul's propensity to enjoy dressing up in sumptuous ecclesiastical finery, or possibly a lack of masculinity reflecting possible homosexuality.
He was elected to succeed Pope Pius II by the accessus in the first ballot of the papal conclave of 1464 with a majority of fourteen of the nineteen cardinals present. Beforehand, to secure to the cardinals a greater share of power than they had enjoyed under Pius II, a capitulation was subscribed by all except Ludovico Trevisan. It bound the future Pope to continue the Turkish war, but he was not to journey outside Rome without the consent of a majority of the cardinals, nor to leave Italy without the consent of all. The maximum number of cardinals was limited to twenty-four, and any new Pope was to be limited to only one cardinal-nephew. All creations of new cardinals and advancements to certain important benefices were to be made only with the consent of the College of Cardinals. Upon taking office, Paul II was to convene an ecumenical council within three years. But these terms of subscription were modified by Paul II at his own discretion, and this action lost him the confidence of the College of Cardinals. The justification for setting aside the capitulations, seen to be under way by the Duke of Milan's ambassador as early as 21 September, lay in connecting any abridgement of the Pope's absolute monarchy in the Papal States with a consequent abridgement of his sole authority in spiritual matters. Almost from his coronation, Paul withdrew and became inaccessible: audiences were only granted at night and even good friends waited a fortnight to see him. His suspiciousness was widely attested.
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