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Why did Pope Paul III restore the carnival in Rome in 1536?
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Paul III
Paul III, contemporary medallion; in the coin collection of the Vatican Library.
Pope Paul III authorized the revival of the carnival in 1536 primarily to restore the traditional ceremonies and pageantry associated with the reception of visiting princes and ambassadors, specifically in preparation for the visit of Emperor Charles V.1
This restoration served as a symbolic signal that the period of austerity, which had been imposed upon Rome following the devastating sack of the city in 1527, had come to an end. By reviving these festivities and rearranging the city's main thoroughfare, Paul III aimed to project an image of prosperity and grandeur for Rome and the Papal States.1