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Why did the cardinals choose Leo X to succeed Pope Julius II?
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Leo X
Pope Leo X, contemporary medallion; in the coin collection of the Vatican Library.
The Sacred College of Cardinals elected Cardinal Giovanni deā Medici as Pope Leo X in 1513 primarily because they desired a peace-loving leader to succeed the warlike Pope Julius II.1
After ten years of Julius IIās military-focused papacy, the cardinals sought a change in atmosphere. Leo X, who had been raised in the brilliant and cultured court of his father, Lorenzo the Magnificent, was viewed as the personification of Renaissance ideals. His reputation for refinement and his ability to foster a calm, quiet environment made him an attractive candidate to the conclave, which reached its decision with minimal deliberation.1