Pope Pius III

. Pius III, civil Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini (* May 29, 1439 in Siena, † October 18, 1503 in Rome), was September 22, 1503 to October 18, 1503 to the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church.

Origin

Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini, was born in Tuscany, the second son of the lawyer Giovanni Todeschini and his wife Laodomia Piccolomini, who had been a sister of Pope Pius II. To date, the Italian municipalities Pienza, Siena and Sarteano argue about which of them is the birthplace of the Pope. The majority of historic documents but from Siena.

Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini had five brothers and two sisters. Early on, he had the favor of his uncle, the future Pope Pius II This promoted his nephew growing up in modest circumstances by a careful education and had a religious career planned for him.

Clerical career

Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini studied in Vienna and Perugia law. He finished his studies with the academic degree of Dr. jur. can. in Perugia. His uncle Pope Pius II named him after his election to the canon in Siena and in 1459 Bishop of Siena. On March 5, 1460, Pope Pius II appointed cardinal.

During the trip, Pope Pius II for the opening of the planned Turks Crusade ( 1464 ) Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini, was entrusted with the administration of the Papal States. Through contacts in Vienna and funded by his uncle Pius II he learned the German language. That should revive his career in the Curia critical and developed many useful contacts to Germany and to the Habsburgs. He had been several times a representative of German interests in the Curia after the death of his uncle under the pontificates of Popes Paul II, Sixtus IV and Innocent VIII. His contemporaries called him therefore also the Protector Nationis Germanicae.

In 1471 he traveled as papal legate to the Diet of Regensburg, where he could brush up a lot of old contacts, among other things, to the Habsburgs. In 1494 he led a diplomatic mission to the court of King Charles VIII of France.

Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini was a great art lover and patron. So he commissioned in June 1502 Michelangelo to create 15 statues for the Cathedral of Siena.

Pontificate

On September 22, 1503, he was elected by the conclave of the new Pope. The name of Pius III. he chose in memory of his uncle. Pope Pius III. stood above the contending parties and may be regarded as a deliberately chosen transitional candidate; In addition, he suffered from gout, and his unstable health could be expected a short pontificate - which the Cardinals were right. The French court had done much to ensure that the French Cardinal Georges d' Amboise, the successor of Alexander VI. was chosen. However, this choice was back shoots through the Cardinal Ascanio Sforza, who wished in the interests of the Italian ruling family, the Sforza neither a pope of French descent still had an interest in the Italian Giuliano della Rovere emerged as the new pope in the conclave.

As early as the October 13, 1503 was Pius III. However, bedridden; he was tormented by the gout, and was unable to actively perform his duties. On the consequences of gout he also died on 18 October 1503. Due to the shortness of his pontificate were rumors that the Pope had been poisoned, from today's perspective, this suspicion is not justified.

Pius III. raised by his personal integrity criticized by some members of his predecessors from. With his election legitimate hopes were raised, he could initiate a reform of the Church in head and members. But his choice was too late. In only 26 days -long pontificate he could give to the Church no decisive turn. He was laid to rest next to Pope Pius II in Sant'Andrea della Valle.