Pope Innocent VIII

REIGNED AUGUST 29, 1484 – JULY 25, 1492

 Giovanni Battista Cibo, the future Pope Innocent VIII, was born in Genoa in 1432 (exact date unknown). He was the son of a Roman senator who then became viceroy to Naples, Arn Cibo and his wife, Teodorine de Masi. Brought up in a well-to-do family, Giovanni had little responsibility except to do well in school. And he did, enchanting his professors with his knowledge of theology and canon law.  However, he was a wild youth, fathering a son and a daughter out of wedlock.

Apparently, he reformed, entering the priesthood and working for Cardinal Calandrini, a close associate of Pope Paul II. Associating with the cardinals, he swiftly moved into impressive positions, as Bishop of Savona at age 35 and Bishop of Molfetta five years later. In 1473 he was named a cardinal by Sixtus IV, using Cardinal Della Rovere’s influence. Della Rovere was the nephew of Pope Sixtus and half-brother of Pope Nicholas V,  eventually becoming Pope Julius II.

However, Della Rovere did not have the votes at the conclave of 1484, so he bought votes for Giovanni with promises of simony, benefices and political motivation. Giovanni took the name Innocent VIII. And then he became a tool of Della Rovere.

CHALLENGES

Innocent had much on his plate. He made attempts at peace within Europe. All the Princes wanted a piece of the Italian peninsula. He struggled with King Ferdinand of Naples, who had been given tax exempt status by Pope Sixtus. The status was revoked but Ferdinand still did not pay. He was deposed in 1489.

Prince Djem, the younger brother of the recently deceased Sultan, claimed the Turkish throne, even though his older brother now sat there. The Turks promised to withdraw from Europe if the prince was held. Innocent agreed to hold Djem in custody for a sum and a relic. The relic arrived just months before his death. The fall of the Moslem population in Granada granted King Ferdinand of Spain the title of “Most Catholic Majesty.”

Innocent confirmed the right of Henry Tudor and his heirs to occupy the throne of England, even though people with closer claims were still alive.

The wars with various Italian states depleted the papal treasury. To raise money, Innocent sold posts to many who were incompetent in their roles.

SUCCESSES

Not a wise thing to do, but Innocent appointed many relatives to influential positions in the  Church.

Before Christmas, his first year in office, Innocent signed a papal bull against witchcraft. He backed the manual for witch hunting written by two Jesuit priests. Then he sent inquisitors to Germany to put witches on trial.

Innocent attacked Hussites and Waldenses as heretics. He forbade the reading of the 900 theses of Pico della Mirandola, the supporter of humanism, threatening excommunication to any who read them. These attacks frightened many, leading to paranoia in some places.

Forgeries of papal bulls, without necessarily the same wording, were becoming popular as a source of money to the forgers. Innocent was able to crack down on these forgers and punish them.

Innocent loved art and beauty. In his eight years as pope, he decorated a summer home, built a hunting lodge, continued building the Benediction loggia, by the old St. Peter’s, built the Villa Belvedere on the Vatican hill and helped design his own tomb.

In order to reinforce political relationships, Innocent married off his son, Franceschetto Cibo to Maddelena de’ Medici, daughter of Lorenzo de’ Medici.

FAILURES

Innocent seems to have been reluctant to give stiff penalties for robberies and other crimes. Violent crime became rampant in Rome. His spending habits within the Church and papal states lead to long term insolvency and anarchy.

This pope lacked forcefulness, magnetism or literary skills. Contemporaries found him lacking in confidence. His attempts to make life comfortable for himself and those around him lead him to make some less than scrupulous choices in income.