Pope Julius III (Giovanni Maria del Monte)

Giovanni Maria del Monte, born in Rome in 1487, was first president of the Council of Trent and Pope Julius III from 1550 to 1555. Shortly after his election he made his favourite Innocenzo del Monte, a youth of seventeen whom he had picked up on the streets of Parma some years before, a cardinal; according to the Catholic Encyclopedia this gave rise to very disagreeable rumours about his relation to him. He provided for his family out of the offices and revenues of the Church. In 1553 he signed the decree of the Inquisition upon which the Talmud was burned in Rome and throughout Italy.

Life dates

1487-1555 (about 68 years old)

Country

Italy, Vatican City

Institutions

Papal States
Roman Curia
Roman Inquisition

Category

Anti-Judaism, Censorship

Level of evidence

B two independent scholarly sources · what does this mean?

Background

Course of events

1. Giovanni Maria del Monte was born on 10 September 1487, created cardinal by Paul III in 1536 and was first president of the Council of Trent. He became pope on 7 February 1550 and died on 23 March 1555.
   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Abschnitt Julius III.

   „pope from 1550 to 1555, was born on the 10th of September 1487. He was created cardinal by Paul III. in 1536“

   Evidence: Michael Ott, The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 8 (1910), Wikisource-Ausgabe 1913, Absatz 1

   „he was appointed first president of the council“

   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Abschnitt Julius III.

   „Julius died on the 23rd of March 1555“

2. After his policy failed he, according to the Britannica, virtually abdicated the management of affairs, gave himself up to enjoyment and, forgetting the proprieties of his office, took part in entertainments of a questionable character. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia he spent most of his time in his luxurious Villa Giulia.
   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Abschnitt Julius III.

   „often so far forgetting the proprieties of his office as to participate in entertainments of a questionable character“

   Evidence: Michael Ott, The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 8 (1910), Wikisource-Ausgabe 1913, Absatz 3

   „He withdrew to his luxurious palace, the Villa Giulia“

Response of the Church

1. The Catholic Encyclopedia calls nepotism the great blemish of his pontificate. Shortly after his election he bestowed the purple on his unworthy favourite Innocenzo del Monte, a youth of seventeen whom he had picked up on the streets of Parma some years earlier and who had been adopted by his brother. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia this gave rise to very disagreeable rumours concerning the pope's relation to Innocenzo. According to the Britannica he advanced unworthy favourites to the cardinalate and provided for his family out of the offices and revenues of the Church.
   Evidence: Michael Ott, The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 8 (1910), Wikisource-Ausgabe 1913, Schlussabsatz

   „The great blemish in his pontificate was nepotism. Shortly after his accession he bestowed the purple on his unworthy favourite Innocenzo del Monte, a youth of seventeen whom he had picked up on the streets of Parma some years previously“

   Evidence: Michael Ott, The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 8 (1910), Wikisource-Ausgabe 1913, Schlussabsatz

   „This act gave rise to some very disagreeable rumours concerning the pope's relation to Innocenzo.“

   Evidence: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911), Abschnitt Julius III.

   „he provided for his family out of the offices and revenues of the Church, and advanced unworthy favourites to the cardinalate“

See also

• 1239-1559 · 320 years

  Burnings of the Talmud 1239 to 1559: On papal orders Dominicans, Franciscans and the Inquisition seized Jewish books and burned them in public

  • France
  • Italy
  • Anti-Judaism
  • Censorship
• Person 1475-1521 · about 46 years old

  Pope Leo X (Giovanni de' Medici)

  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Vatican City
  • Financial misconduct
• Person 28 Jun 1476-18 Aug 1559 · 83 years old

  Pope Paul IV (Gian Pietro Carafa)

  • Italy
  • Vatican City
  • Anti-Judaism
  • Expropriation
  • Heresy trials
  • Persecution

Scholarly literature and reference works

1. Reference work
   Encyclopædia Britannica, 11. Auflage (1911): Julius (Abschnitt Julius III.), 1 January 1911. Original · Archive copy (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
2. Reference work
   Michael Ott, The Catholic Encyclopedia, Bd. 8 (1910), Wikisource-Ausgabe 1913: Pope Julius III, 1 January 1913. Original · Archive copy (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
3. Scholarly literature
   Heinrich Graetz, Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia 1891: History of the Jews, Bd. 4, 1 January 1891. Original (retrieved 23 Oct 2026)

Last changed on 31 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.