When was Urban VIII pope?

Urban VIII was pope from 1623 to 1644. Elected on August 6, 1623, he succeeded Pope Gregory XV. His pontificate coincided with the Thirty Years’ War, during which his policies appeared pro-French and hostile to the Roman Catholic cause in Germany. Urban VIII aimed to strengthen the papacy’s resources and defense, fortifying Castel Sant’Angelo and erecting Fort Urbano. He acquired the Duchy of Urbino in 1626, making the Papal States a dominant bloc in central Italy. He founded the Collegium Urbanum in 1627 for missionary training and reopened China and Japan to missionaries in 1633. A patron of the arts, Urban VIII commissioned Gian Lorenzo Bernini for works such as the loggias of St. Peter’s.

What were some major events during his time as pope?

During his time as pope (1623-1644), Urban VIII was involved in several significant events. He strengthened the papacy's defenses by fortifying Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome and erecting Fort Urbano. In 1627, he founded the Collegium Urbanum to train missionaries and reopened China and Japan to missionaries in 1633. Urban VIII's pontificate coincided with the Thirty Years’ War, during which he allied with France against the Habsburgs. Additionally, Galileo Galilei , a friend of Urban's, was tried and condemned in 1633 for his Copernican views. In an attempt to establish supremacy over northern Italy, Urban VIII initiated the War of Castro against Duke Odoardo I Farnese of Parma, but faced defeat in 1644.

How did Urban VIII influence the Catholic Church?

Pope Urban VIII (1623-1644) significantly influenced the Catholic Church through his political maneuvering and patronage. He founded the Collegium Urbanum in 1627 to train missionaries and reopened China and Japan to missionaries in 1633. His papal bull In eminenti (1643) denounced Jansenism, and he approved new orders, such as the Visitandines and Lazarists. Urban VIII also canonized Saints Elizabeth of Portugal, Francis Borgia, and John of God and issued revisions of the breviary, missal, and pontifical. Urban was a patron of the arts, supporting Baroque sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini and commissioning works such as the loggias of St. Peter’s.

What was Urban VIII's relationship with Galileo Galilei?

Urban VIII was a friend and admirer of Galileo Galilei for a decade, and he commissioned works from Galileo. In 1624, after becoming pope, Urban VIII gave Galileo permission to write a book about theories of the universe, but he warned him to treat the Copernican theory only hypothetically. Galileo's book, Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems , did not treat the Copernican theory hypothetically, and Pope Urban VIII convened a special commission to examine the book. Galileo was summoned to Rome in 1633, and he was eventually condemned to life imprisonment after confessing to overstating his case. Urban VIII reluctantly had his friend Galileo tried and condemned for a short time in 1633.

How did Urban VIII impact art and architecture in Rome?

Pope Urban VIII (1623–1644) significantly impacted the arts, especially as a patron of Gian Lorenzo Bernini . Urban encouraged Bernini to paint and practice architecture. Bernini's architectural work included the remodeled Church of Santa Bibiana and the symbolic structure over St. Peter's tomb in St. Peter’s Basilica. The result was the immense gilt-bronze baldachin. Urban's tomb (1628–47) shows him seated with an commanding gesture, with white marble figures representing the Virtues. His contributions to Rome include the Triton Fountain in the Piazza Barberini. Urban's building program included the papal villa at Castel Gandolfo and extravagant piazzas.

Urban VIII

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detail from a monument by Gian Lorenzo Bernini

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Christ as Ruler, with the Apostles and Evangelists (represented by the beasts). The female figures are believed to be either Santa Pudenziana and Santa Praxedes or symbols of the Jewish and Gentile churches. Mosaic in the apse of Santa Pudenziana, Rome,A

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Original name:: Maffeo Barberini

Baptized:: April 5, 1568, Florence

Died:: July 29, 1644, Rome

Title / Office:: pope (1623-1644)

Role In:: Thirty Years’ War

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Urban VIII

pope

Also known as: Maffeo Barberini

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History

Top Questions

Who was Urban VIII?
Urban VIII was pope from 1623 to 1644. Born into an aristocratic Florentine family, he held many distinguished church appointments, including papal legate in France and archbishop of Nazareth.

As pope, Urban VIII's pontificate coincided with the Thirty Years’ War. He desired the extinction of Protestantism everywhere, but he ultimately feared Habsburg domination in Italy. Thus, he withheld support from them and allied with their enemy Richelieu.

Urban greatly fortified the Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome (1624–41). He approved new orders, denounced the slave trade, and commissioned works from Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Urban VIII also had his friend Galileo tried and condemned for a short time in 1633.
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1. Urban VIII
2. Galileo: Galileo’s Copernicanism
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When was Urban VIII pope?
Urban VIII was pope from 1623 to 1644. Elected on August 6, 1623, he succeeded Pope Gregory XV. His pontificate coincided with the Thirty Years’ War, during which his policies appeared pro-French and hostile to the Roman Catholic cause in Germany. Urban VIII aimed to strengthen the papacy’s resources and defense, fortifying Castel Sant’Angelo and erecting Fort Urbano. He acquired the Duchy of Urbino in 1626, making the Papal States a dominant bloc in central Italy. He founded the Collegium Urbanum in 1627 for missionary training and reopened China and Japan to missionaries in 1633. A patron of the arts, Urban VIII commissioned Gian Lorenzo Bernini for works such as the loggias of St. Peter’s.
1 Britannica Source
1. Urban VIII
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What were some major events during his time as pope?
During his time as pope (1623-1644), Urban VIII was involved in several significant events. He strengthened the papacy's defenses by fortifying Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome and erecting Fort Urbano. In 1627, he founded the Collegium Urbanum to train missionaries and reopened China and Japan to missionaries in 1633.

Urban VIII's pontificate coincided with the Thirty Years’ War, during which he allied with France against the Habsburgs. Additionally, Galileo Galilei, a friend of Urban's, was tried and condemned in 1633 for his Copernican views. In an attempt to establish supremacy over northern Italy, Urban VIII initiated the War of Castro against Duke Odoardo I Farnese of Parma, but faced defeat in 1644.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How did Urban VIII influence the Catholic Church?
Pope Urban VIII (1623-1644) significantly influenced the Catholic Church through his political maneuvering and patronage. He founded the Collegium Urbanum in 1627 to train missionaries and reopened China and Japan to missionaries in 1633.

His papal bull In eminenti (1643) denounced Jansenism, and he approved new orders, such as the Visitandines and Lazarists. Urban VIII also canonized Saints Elizabeth of Portugal, Francis Borgia, and John of God and issued revisions of the breviary, missal, and pontifical.

Urban was a patron of the arts, supporting Baroque sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini and commissioning works such as the loggias of St. Peter’s.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Barberini Family
2. Urban VIII
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What was Urban VIII's relationship with Galileo Galilei?
Urban VIII was a friend and admirer of Galileo Galilei for a decade, and he commissioned works from Galileo. In 1624, after becoming pope, Urban VIII gave Galileo permission to write a book about theories of the universe, but he warned him to treat the Copernican theory only hypothetically.

Galileo's book, Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems, did not treat the Copernican theory hypothetically, and Pope Urban VIII convened a special commission to examine the book. Galileo was summoned to Rome in 1633, and he was eventually condemned to life imprisonment after confessing to overstating his case. Urban VIII reluctantly had his friend Galileo tried and condemned for a short time in 1633.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How did Urban VIII impact art and architecture in Rome?
Pope Urban VIII (1623–1644) significantly impacted the arts, especially as a patron of Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Urban encouraged Bernini to paint and practice architecture.

Bernini's architectural work included the remodeled Church of Santa Bibiana and the symbolic structure over St. Peter's tomb in St. Peter’s Basilica. The result was the immense gilt-bronze baldachin. Urban's tomb (1628–47) shows him seated with an commanding gesture, with white marble figures representing the Virtues. His contributions to Rome include the Triton Fountain in the Piazza Barberini. Urban's building program included the papal villa at Castel Gandolfo and extravagant piazzas.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Urban VIII (baptized April 5, 1568, Florence—died July 29, 1644, Rome) was the pope from 1623 to 1644.

The son of an aristocratic Florentine family, Barberini filled many distinguished church appointments. He served as papal legate in France (1601) and was simultaneously appointed (1604) archbishop of Nazareth and nuncio to Paris. Pope Paul V made him cardinal in 1606 and bishop of Spoleto in 1608. He became an astute politician during these years, acquiring many friends and making few enemies. He was elected Pope Gregory XV’s successor on Aug. 6, 1623.

Urban’s pontificate coincided with the ministry of Cardinal de Richelieu of France and with the decisive period of the Thirty Years’ War. His policy, when contrasted with that of his successor, Innocent X, appears to have been decidedly pro-French and hostile to the Roman Catholic cause in Germany. In fact, he desired the extinction of Protestantism everywhere, but, because he ultimately feared Habsburg domination in Italy, he withheld his support from them and allied with their enemy Richelieu. This alliance destroyed the Habsburgs’ claim to be considered the exclusive champions of Roman Catholicism and so turned the Thirty Years’ War into a conflict of dynastic interests that resulted not so much in the triumph of Protestantism as in the ruin of Germany.

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Determined to strengthen the papacy’s material resources and defense, Urban greatly fortified the Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome (1624–41). He also erected Fort Urbano at Castelfranco, transformed Civitavecchia into a flourishing port with a military harbour, and enlarged the arsenal at Tivoli. The Duchy of Urbino was acquired by the pope in 1626, and the Papal States became a compact, well-defended bloc dominating central Italy. Unfortunately, concurrent with his expensive fortifications and defense plan, Urban was guilty of unrestrained opulence and large-scale nepotism. His building program—which included the grandiose papal villa at Castel Gandolfo and extravagant piazzas and fountains—combined with the enrichment of his family, tended to squander the financial resources of the papacy.

In an endeavour to establish supremacy over northern Italy, Urban began the War of Castro (1642–44) against Duke Odoardo I Farnese of Parma, whom he excommunicated in 1642, but the campaign ended in the pope’s defeat and humiliation in March 1644. Venice, Tuscany, and Modena then formed an antipapal league to protect Parma, and France also intervened in Odoardo’s favour. Peace was concluded at Venice on March 31, 1644, and Urban died soon afterward.

Urban’s involvements in church affairs were multifarious. For the training of missionaries, he founded (1627) the Collegium Urbanum, and in 1633 he declared China and Japan (which had been closed to proselytization in 1585 by Pope Gregory XIII) open again for missionaries. He denounced the slave trade in Brazil and the West Indies. Urban’s bull In eminenti (published in June 1643) condemned the doctrines of Jansenism, a French movement that emphasized God’s sovereignty and deemphasized man’s free will. Conversely, he approved new orders, among them the Visitandines and the Lazarists, and promulgated several canonizations, including those of Saints Elizabeth of Portugal, Francis Borgia, and John of God. He also issued revisions of the breviary, missal, and pontifical.

A promoter of the arts, Urban VIII was the foremost patron of the important Baroque sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini, some of whose finest works he commissioned, including the loggias of St. Peter’s, Rome, and Urban’s tomb in the basilica. Reluctantly, he had his friend Galileo tried and condemned for a short time in 1633.

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Urban VIII

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