Childhood:
He was born in Florence a month after the assassination of his father. His mother also died in his childhood, leaving him an orphan. His parents were not formally married. He was educated by Lorenzo the Magnificent.
Career:
He was made Knight of Rhodes and Grand Prior to Capua when his cousin, Leo X became pope. He became Pope Leo X’s minister and confidant. On the 23rd of September 1513, he was made cardinal and was main director of papal policy during Leo X’s reign. He was also the Bishop of Worcester in England. Following Adrian VI’s death, he became Pope in 1523. He attempted to end the Italian War by sending Archbishop of Capua to the kings of Spain, France and England but this attempt failed. He was captured during the Sack of Rome in 1527. He also refused to annul Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon.
Significance:
The significance of the Pope Clement is the fact that he was captured by Charles V in the Sack of Rome at a similar time that Henry VIII was trying to get an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. He would therefore likely refuse to allow the annulment to occur as Clement V was nephew of Catherine and so should a divorce have happened it would have weakened his relationship with England further, reducing his influence and power. Clement VII is also of huge significance as he unintentionally aided Henry in his mission to get an annulment. This is because the archbishop of Canterbury, William Warham, died and was a close friend of the Pope. He was replaced by Thomas Cranmer who was a friend of the Boleyn family and would fight for their cause. The Pope demanded that Cranmer took an oath of allegiance to him and Cranmer stated he didn’t agree with the oath he would take. Cranmer and Henry were therefore both excommunicated from the Catholic Church. This ultimately led to Henry passing the Act of Supremacy and creating the Church of England, which is of huge significance.
Lewis Angell
He was born in Florence a month after the assassination of his father. His mother also died in his childhood, leaving him an orphan. His parents were not formally married. He was educated by Lorenzo the Magnificent.
Career:
He was made Knight of Rhodes and Grand Prior to Capua when his cousin, Leo X became pope. He became Pope Leo X’s minister and confidant. On the 23rd of September 1513, he was made cardinal and was main director of papal policy during Leo X’s reign. He was also the Bishop of Worcester in England. Following Adrian VI’s death, he became Pope in 1523. He attempted to end the Italian War by sending Archbishop of Capua to the kings of Spain, France and England but this attempt failed. He was captured during the Sack of Rome in 1527. He also refused to annul Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon.
Significance:
The significance of the Pope Clement is the fact that he was captured by Charles V in the Sack of Rome at a similar time that Henry VIII was trying to get an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. He would therefore likely refuse to allow the annulment to occur as Clement V was nephew of Catherine and so should a divorce have happened it would have weakened his relationship with England further, reducing his influence and power. Clement VII is also of huge significance as he unintentionally aided Henry in his mission to get an annulment. This is because the archbishop of Canterbury, William Warham, died and was a close friend of the Pope. He was replaced by Thomas Cranmer who was a friend of the Boleyn family and would fight for their cause. The Pope demanded that Cranmer took an oath of allegiance to him and Cranmer stated he didn’t agree with the oath he would take. Cranmer and Henry were therefore both excommunicated from the Catholic Church. This ultimately led to Henry passing the Act of Supremacy and creating the Church of England, which is of huge significance.
Lewis Angell