Marcellus II

Marcellus II (born May 6, 1501, Montepulciano, Tuscany—died May 1, 1555, Rome) was the pope from April 9/10 to May 1, 1555. He was one of the few popes in the modern period to retain his baptismal name after becoming pope. He was made cardinal in December 1539 by Pope Paul III, for whom he served in numerous politico-ecclesiastical missions. With Cardinal Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte (later Pope Julius III) and Cardinal Reginald Pole,...