Pope Julius III Succeeds Pope Paul III
- When
- 1549–1550
- Where
- Papal States
- Episodes
- 2
Following the death of Pope Paul III in November 1549, a divided conclave elected Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte as Pope Julius III on 7 February 1550. He was selected as a compromise candidate after the French faction blocked preferred Imperial and other candidates, succeeding Paul III as head of the Catholic Church.
Episodes
- Death of Paul III
Pope Paul III died on 10 November 1549, triggering the need for a new papal election.
- Election of Julius III
Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte was elected pope on 7 February 1550 as a compromise candidate.
Background and detail
The Conclave of 1550. After Paul III's death, forty-eight cardinals convened in a conclave divided into three factions. The Imperial faction sought to reconvene the Council of Trent, while the French faction opposed this. Neither the French nor the Germans favored del Monte, and the Emperor had excluded him, but the French blocked other candidates, allowing del Monte to emerge as a compromise.
Succession of Julius III. Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte was elected pope on 7 February 1550, taking the name Julius III. He became head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 22 February 1550. His election was characterized as a compromise following a career as a distinguished diplomat.
People involved
- Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte · Elected Pope (Julius III)
- Alessandro Farnese · Predecessor Pope (Paul III)
Sources
- Pope Julius III Wikipedia, revision of 2026-07-23
- Pope Paul III Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-04
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