Pope Paul III

Reign: 1534 – 1549
Life: 1468–1549

Paul III came to the papal throne in the time following the sack of Rome in 1527, which was rife with uncertainties in the Catholic Church as the Protestant Reformation progressed. His pontificate initiated the Catholic Reformation with the Council of Trent in 1545, and witnessed wars of religion in which Emperor Charles V launched military campaigns against the Protestants in Germany. He recognized new Catholic religious orders and societies such as the Jesuits, the Barnabites, and the Congregation of the Oratory. Paul III was a significant patron of artists, including Michelangelo, and Nicolaus Copernicus dedicated his heliocentric treatise to him.

During Pope Paul III's reign, Suleiman the Magnificent ruled Ottoman Empire, Henry VIII of England ruled England, and Charles V ruled Spain.

Want to learn more? Further reading

Absolute Monarchs: A History of the Papacy by John Julius Norwich

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The World During Their Reign

The most notable rulers who held power elsewhere at the same time, from European courts to Ottoman, Mughal, and Chinese thrones.

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From the library

Go deeper on Pope Paul III

Hand-picked histories and biographies for readers who want more than the timeline: the same era, told in full.

Absolute Monarchs: A History of the Papacy

John Julius Norwich

Norwich's narrative history of the popes, from Saint Peter's successors to the modern Vatican.

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Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes
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A respected Yale survey of papal power, reform, and scandal across two millennia.
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