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<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <title>CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Pope Gregory XIII</title><script src="https://dtyry4ejybx0.cloudfront.net/js/cmp/cleanmediacmp.js?ver=0104" async="true"></script><script defer data-domain="newadvent.org" src="https://plausible.io/js/script.js"></script><link rel="canonical" href="https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07001b.htm"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <meta name="description" content="Reigned 1572-1585"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="RSS" href="http://feeds.newadvent.org/bestoftheweb?format=xml"><link rel="icon" href="../images/icon1.ico" type="image/x-icon"><link rel="shortcut icon" href="../images/icon1.ico" type="image/x-icon"><meta name="robots" content="noodp"><link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="../utility/screen6.css" media="screen"></head> <body class="cathen" id="07001b.htm">  <br/> <div id="capitalcity"><table summary="Logo" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 width="100%"><tr valign="bottom"><td align="left"><a href="../"><img height=36 width=153 border="0" alt="New Advent" src="../images/logo.gif"></a></td><td align="right"> <form id="searchbox_000299817191393086628:ifmbhlr-8x0" action="../utility/search.htm">  <input type="hidden" name="safe" value="active"> <input type="hidden" name="cx" value="000299817191393086628:ifmbhlr-8x0"/> <input type="hidden" name="cof" value="FORID:9"/>  <label for="searchQuery" id="searchQueryLabel">Search:</label> <input id="searchQuery" name="q" type="text" size="25" aria-labelledby="searchQueryLabel"/>  <label for="submitButton" id="submitButtonLabel" class="visually-hidden">Submit Search</label> <input id="submitButton" type="submit" name="sa" value="Search" aria-labelledby="submitButtonLabel"/> </form> <table summary="Spacer" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td height="2"></td></tr></table> <table summary="Tabs" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr> <td bgcolor="#ffffff"></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../"> Home </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_white_on_color" href="../cathen/index.html"> Encyclopedia </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../summa/index.html"> Summa </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../fathers/index.html"> Fathers </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../bible/gen001.htm"> Bible </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../library/index.html"> Library </a></td> </tr></table> </td> </tr></table><table summary="Alphabetical index" width="100%" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td class="bar_white_on_color"> <a href="../cathen/a.htm"> A </a><a href="../cathen/b.htm"> B </a><a href="../cathen/c.htm"> C </a><a href="../cathen/d.htm"> D </a><a href="../cathen/e.htm"> E </a><a href="../cathen/f.htm"> F </a><a href="../cathen/g.htm"> G </a><a href="../cathen/h.htm"> H </a><a href="../cathen/i.htm"> I </a><a href="../cathen/j.htm"> J </a><a href="../cathen/k.htm"> K </a><a href="../cathen/l.htm"> L </a><a href="../cathen/m.htm"> M </a><a href="../cathen/n.htm"> N </a><a href="../cathen/o.htm"> O </a><a href="../cathen/p.htm"> P </a><a href="../cathen/q.htm"> Q </a><a href="../cathen/r.htm"> R </a><a href="../cathen/s.htm"> S </a><a href="../cathen/t.htm"> T </a><a href="../cathen/u.htm"> U </a><a href="../cathen/v.htm"> V </a><a href="../cathen/w.htm"> W </a><a href="../cathen/x.htm"> X </a><a href="../cathen/y.htm"> Y </a><a href="../cathen/z.htm"> Z </a> </td></tr></table></div> <div id="mobilecity" style="text-align: center; "><a href="../"><img height=24 width=102 border="0" alt="New Advent" src="../images/logo.gif"></a></div>  <div id="mi5"><span class="breadcrumbs"><a href="../">Home</a> > <a href="../cathen">Catholic Encyclopedia</a> > <a href="../cathen/g.htm">G</a> > Pope Gregory XIII</span></div> <div id="springfield2"> <div class='catholicadnet-728x90' id='cathen-728x90-top' style='display: flex; height: 100px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; '></div> <h1>Pope Gregory XIII</h1> <p><em><a href="https://gumroad.com/l/na2"><strong>Please help support the mission of New Advent</strong> and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more  all for only $19.99...</a></em></p> <p>(UGO BUONCOMPAGNI).</p> <p>Born at Bologna, 7 Jan., 1502; died at <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a>, 10 April, 1585. He studied <a href="../cathen/09053a.htm">jurisprudence</a> at the <a href="../cathen/02641b.htm">University of Bologna</a>, from which he was graduated at an early age as doctor of canon and of <a href="../cathen/09066a.htm">civil law</a>. Later, he taught <a href="../cathen/09053a.htm">jurisprudence</a> at the same <a href="../cathen/15188a.htm">university</a>, and had among his pupils the famous future <a href="../cathen/03333b.htm">cardinals</a>, <a href="../cathen/05788b.htm">Alessandro Farnese</a>, Cristoforo Madruzzi, <a href="../cathen/15069a.htm">Otto Truchsess von Waldburg</a>, <a href="../cathen/12201b.htm">Reginald Pole</a>, <a href="../cathen/03619a.htm">Carlo Borromeo</a>, and <a href="../cathen/07473a.htm">Stanislaus Hosius</a>. In 1539 he came to <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a> at the request of Cardinal Parizzio, and <a href="../cathen/11579a.htm">Paul III</a> appointed him judge of the Capitol, <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">papal</a> abbreviator, and referendary of both signatures. In 1545 the same <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">pope</a> sent him to the <a href="../cathen/15030c.htm">Council of Trent</a> as one of his jurists. On his return to <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a> he held various offices in the <a href="../cathen/13147a.htm">Roman Curia</a> under <a href="../cathen/08564a.htm">Julius III</a> (1550-1555), who also appointed him prolegate of the Campagna in 1555. Under <a href="../cathen/11581a.htm">Paul IV</a> (1555-1559) he accompanied Cardinal Alfonso Caraffa on a <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">papal</a> mission to Philip II in <a href="../cathen/06094b.htm">Flanders</a>, and upon his return was appointed <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">Bishop</a> of Viesti in 1558. Up to this time he had not been <a href="../cathen/11279a.htm">ordained</a> a <a href="../cathen/12406a.htm">priest</a>. In 1559 the newly-elected <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">pope</a>, <a href="../cathen/12129a.htm">Pius IV</a>, sent him as his confidential deputy to the <a href="../cathen/15030c.htm">Council of Trent</a>, where he remained till its conclusion in 1563. Shortly after his return to <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a>, the same <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">pope</a> created him <a href="../cathen/03333b.htm#p">Cardinal Priest</a> of San Sisto in 1564, and sent him as <a href="../cathen/09118a.htm">legate</a> to <a href="../cathen/14169b.htm">Spain</a> to investigate the case of <a href="../cathen/03376a.htm">Archbishop Bartolomé Carranza</a> of Toledo, who had been suspected of <a href="../cathen/07256b.htm">heresy</a> and <a href="../cathen/12430a.htm">imprisoned</a> by the <a href="../cathen/08026a.htm">Inquisition</a>. While in <a href="../cathen/14169b.htm">Spain</a> he was appointed secretary of <a href="../cathen/03052b.htm">papal Briefs</a>, and after the election of <a href="../cathen/12130a.htm">Pius V</a>, 7 Jan., 1566, he returned to <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a> to enter upon his new office. After the death of <a href="../cathen/12130a.htm">Pius V</a> on 1 May, 1572, Ugo Buoncompagni was elected <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">pope</a> on 13 May, 1572, chiefly through the influence of <a href="../cathen/06727a.htm">Cardinal Antoine* Granvella</a>, and took the name of Gregory XIII. At his election to the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">papal</a> throne he had already completed his seventieth year, but was still strong and full of energy.</p> <div class="CMtag_300x250" style="display: flex; height: 300px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; "></div> <p>His youth was not stainless. While still at Bologna, a son, named Giacomo, was born to him of an unmarried <a href="../cathen/15687b.htm">woman</a>. Even after entering the <a href="../cathen/04049b.htm">clerical</a> state he was worldly-minded and fond of display. But from the time he became <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">pope</a> he followed in the footsteps of his holy predecessor, and was thoroughly imbued with the consciousness of the great responsibility connected with his exalted position. His election was greeted with <a href="../cathen/07131b.htm">joy</a> by the Roman people, as well as by the foreign rulers. Emperor Maximilian II, the kings of <a href="../cathen/06166a.htm">France</a>, <a href="../cathen/14169b.htm">Spain</a>, <a href="../cathen/12297a.htm">Portugal</a>, <a href="../cathen/07547a.htm">Hungary</a>, <a href="../cathen/12181a.htm">Poland</a>, the Italian and other princes sent their representatives to <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a> to tender their obedience to the newly-elected pontiff. At the first consistory he ordered the Constitution of <a href="../cathen/12130a.htm">Pius V</a>, which forbade the alienation of <a href="../cathen/12466a.htm">church property</a>, to be read publicly, and pledged himself to carry into execution the decrees of the <a href="../cathen/15030c.htm">Council of Trent</a>. He at once appointed a committee of <a href="../cathen/03333b.htm">cardinals</a>, consisting of <a href="../cathen/03619a.htm">Borromeo</a>, <a href="../cathen/11419a.htm">Paleotti</a>, Aldobrandini, and Arezzo, with instructions to find out and abolish all <a href="../cathen/03744a.htm">ecclesiastical</a> abuses; decided that the <a href="../cathen/03333b.htm">cardinals</a> who were at the head of <a href="../cathen/05001a.htm">dioceses</a> were not exempt from the <a href="../cathen/15030c.htm">Tridentine</a> <a href="../cathen/04670a.htm">decree</a> of episcopal residence; designated a committee of <a href="../cathen/03333b.htm">cardinals</a> to complete the Index of Forbidden Books, and appointed one day in each week for a public audience during which everyone had access to him. In order that only the most worthy <a href="../cathen/11726a.htm">persons</a> might be vested with <a href="../cathen/04794a.htm">ecclesiastical dignities</a>, he kept a list of commendable men in and out of <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a>, on which he noted their virtues and faults that came to his notice. The same care he exercised in the appointment of <a href="../cathen/03333b.htm">cardinals</a>. Thirty-four <a href="../cathen/03333b.htm">cardinals</a> were appointed during his pontificate, and in their appointment he always had the had the welfare of the <a href="../cathen/03744a.htm">Church</a> in view. He cannot be charged with nepotism. Two of his nephews, Filippo Buoncompagni and Filippo Vastavillano, he created <a href="../cathen/03333b.htm">cardinals</a> because he considered them worthy of the dignity; but when a third one aspired after the purple, he did not even grant him an audience. His son Giacomo he appointed castellan of St. Angelo and gonfalonier of the <a href="../cathen/03744a.htm">Church</a>, but refused him every higher dignity, although <a href="../cathen/15333a.htm">Venice</a> enrolled him among its <em>nobili</em> and the King of <a href="../cathen/14169b.htm">Spain</a> appointed him general of his army.</p> <p>Like his holy predecessor, Gregory XIII spared no efforts to further an expedition against the <a href="../cathen/15097a.htm">Turks</a>. With this purpose in view he sent special <a href="../cathen/09118a.htm">legates</a> to <a href="../cathen/14169b.htm">Spain</a>, <a href="../cathen/06166a.htm">France</a>, <a href="../cathen/06484b.htm">Germany</a>, <a href="../cathen/12181a.htm">Poland</a>, and other countries, but the discord of the <a href="../cathen/03712a.htm">Christian</a> princes among themselves, the peace concluded by the <a href="../cathen/15333a.htm">Venetians</a> with the <a href="../cathen/15097a.htm">Turks</a>, and the treaty effected by <a href="../cathen/14169b.htm">Spain</a> with the Sultan, frustrated all his exertions in this direction.</p> <p>For stemming the tide of <a href="../cathen/12495a.htm">Protestantism</a>, which already had wrested entire nations from the bosom of the <a href="../cathen/03744a.htm">Church</a>, Gregory XIII <a href="../cathen/08673a.htm">knew</a> of no better means than a thorough training of the candidates for <a href="../cathen/07386a.htm">holy</a> <a href="../cathen/12409a.htm">priesthood</a> in <a href="../cathen/03449a.htm">Catholic</a> philosophy and <a href="../cathen/14580x.htm">theology</a>. He founded numerous colleges and <a href="../cathen/13694a.htm">seminaries</a> at <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a> and other suitable places and put most of them under the direction of the <a href="../cathen/14081a.htm">Jesuits</a>. At least twenty-three such institutions of learning owe their existence or survival to the munificence of Gregory XIII. The first of these institutions that enjoyed the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">pope's</a> liberality was the German College at <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a>, which for lack of funds was in danger of being abandoned. In a <a href="../cathen/03052b.htm">Bull</a> <a href="../cathen/04636c.htm">dated</a> 6 August, 1573, he ordered that no less than one hundred students at a time from <a href="../cathen/06484b.htm">Germany</a> and its northern borderland should be <a href="../cathen/05295b.htm">educated</a> in the German College, and that it should have an annual income of 10,000 ducats, to be paid, as far as <a href="../cathen/10733a.htm">necessary</a>, out of the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">papal</a> treasury. In 1574 he gave the church and the palace of Sant' Apollinare to the institution, and in 1580 united the Hungarian college with it. The following Roman colleges were founded by Gregory XIII: the Greek college on 13 Jan., 1577; the college for <a href="../cathen/10742a.htm">neophytes</a>, i.e. converted <a href="../cathen/08399a.htm">Jews</a> and infidels, in 1577; the English college on 1 May, 1579; the <a href="../cathen/09683c.htm">Maronite</a> college on 27 June, 1584. For the international <a href="../cathen/14081a.htm">Jesuit</a> <a href="../cathen/04107b.htm">college</a> (Collegium Romanum) he built in 1582 the large edifice known as the Collegio Romano which was occupied by the faculty and students of the Collegium Romanum (Gregorian University) until the <a href="../cathen/12076b.htm">Piedmontese</a> Government declared it national <a href="../cathen/12462a.htm">property</a> and expelled the <a href="../cathen/14081a.htm">Jesuits</a> in 1870. Outside of <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a> the following colleges were either founded or liberally endowed by Gregory XIII: the English college at Douai, the Scotch college at Pont-à-Mousson, the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">papal</a> <a href="../cathen/13694a.htm">seminaries</a> at <a href="../cathen/06733d.htm">Graz</a>, <a href="../cathen/15417a.htm">Vienna</a>, Olmutz, <a href="../cathen/12338a.htm">Prague</a>, Colosvar, <a href="../cathen/06313b.htm">Fulda</a>, <a href="../cathen/02073b.htm">Augsburg</a>, Dillingen, Braunsberg, <a href="../cathen/10298a.htm">Milan</a>, Loreto, Fribourg in <a href="../cathen/14358a.htm">Switzerland</a>, and three <a href="../cathen/13554b.htm">schools</a> in <a href="../cathen/08297a.htm">Japan</a>. In these <a href="../cathen/13554b.htm">schools</a> numerous missionaries were trained for the various countries where <a href="../cathen/12495a.htm">Protestantism</a> had been made the state religion and for the missions among the <a href="../cathen/11388a.htm">pagans</a> in <a href="../cathen/03663b.htm">China</a>, <a href="../cathen/07722a.htm">India</a>, and <a href="../cathen/08297a.htm">Japan</a>. Thus Gregory XIII at least partly restored the old <a href="../cathen/05752c.htm">faith</a> in <a href="../cathen/05445a.htm">England</a> and the northern countries of <a href="../cathen/05607b.htm">Europe</a>, supplied the <a href="../cathen/03449a.htm">Catholics</a> in those countries with their <a href="../cathen/10733a.htm">necessary</a> <a href="../cathen/12406a.htm">priests</a>, and introduced <a href="../cathen/03712a.htm">Christianity</a> into the <a href="../cathen/11388a.htm">pagan</a> countries of Eastern <a href="../cathen/01777b.htm">Asia</a>. Perhaps one of the <a href="../cathen/07131b.htm">happiest</a> events during his pontificate was his arrival at <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a> of four <a href="../cathen/08297a.htm">Japanese</a> ambassadors on 22 March, 1585. They had been sent by the converted kings of Bungo, Arima, and Omura, in <a href="../cathen/08297a.htm">Japan</a>, to thank the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">pope</a> for the fatherly care he had shown their country by sending them <a href="../cathen/14081a.htm">Jesuit</a> missionaries who had taught them the religion of <a href="../cathen/08374c.htm">Christ</a>.</p> <div class="CMtag_300x250" style="display: flex; height: 300px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; "></div> <p>In order to safeguard the <a href="../cathen/03449a.htm">Catholic</a> religion in <a href="../cathen/06484b.htm">Germany</a>, he instituted a special Congregation of Cardinals for German affairs, the so-called <em>Congregatio Germanica</em>, which lasted from 1573-1578. To remain informed of the <a href="../cathen/03449a.htm">Catholic</a> situation in that country and keep in closer contact with its rulers, he erected resident nunciatures at <a href="../cathen/15417a.htm">Vienna</a> in 1581 and at Cologne in 1582. By his <a href="../cathen/03052b.htm">Bull</a> "Provisionis nostrae" of 29 Jan., 1579, he confirmed the acts of his predecessor <a href="../cathen/12130a.htm">Pius V</a>, condemning the <a href="../cathen/05525a.htm">errors</a> of <a href="../cathen/02209c.htm">Baius</a>, and at the same time he commissioned the <a href="../cathen/14081a.htm">Jesuit</a>, Francis of Toledo, to demand the <a href="../cathen/01044d.htm">abjuration</a> of <a href="../cathen/02209c.htm">Baius</a>. In the <a href="../cathen/12748b.htm">religious</a> orders Gregory XIII recognized a great power for the conversion of <a href="../cathen/11388a.htm">pagans</a>, the repression of <a href="../cathen/07256b.htm">heresy</a> and the maintenance of the <a href="../cathen/03449a.htm">Catholic</a> religion. He was especially friendly towards the <a href="../cathen/14081a.htm">Jesuits</a>, whose rapid spread during the pontificate was greatly due to his encouragement and financial assistance. Neither did he neglect the other orders. He approved the <a href="../cathen/11272a.htm">Congregation of the Oratory</a> in 1574, the <a href="../cathen/02302a.htm">Barnabites</a> in 1579, and the Discaleed Carmalites in 1580. The <a href="../cathen/12387b.htm">Premonstratensians</a> he <a href="../cathen/07462a.htm">honoured</a> by canonizing their founder, <a href="../cathen/11100b.htm">St. Norbert</a>, in 1582.</p> <p>Gregory XIII spared no efforts to restore the <a href="../cathen/03449a.htm">Catholic</a> <a href="../cathen/05752c.htm">Faith</a> in the countries that had become <a href="../cathen/12495a.htm">Protestant</a>. In 1574 he sent the Polish <a href="../cathen/14081a.htm">Jesuit</a> Warsiewicz to John III of Sweden in order to convert him to <a href="../cathen/03449a.htm">Catholicity</a>. Being then unsuccessful, he sent another <a href="../cathen/14081a.htm">Jesuit</a>, the <a href="../cathen/11117b.htm">Norwegian</a> Lawrence Nielssen in 1576, who succeeded in converting the king on 6 May, 1578. The king, however, soon turned <a href="../cathen/12495a.htm">Protestant</a> again from political motives. In 1581, Gregory XIII dispatched the <a href="../cathen/14081a.htm">Jesuit</a> <a href="../cathen/12317a.htm">Antonio Possevino</a> as <a href="../cathen/11160a.htm">nuncio</a> to <a href="../cathen/13231c.htm">Russia</a>, to mediate between Tsar Ivan IV and King Bathory of <a href="../cathen/12181a.htm">Poland</a>. He not only brought about an amicable settlement between the two rulers, but also obtained for the <a href="../cathen/03449a.htm">Catholics</a> of <a href="../cathen/13231c.htm">Russia</a> the <a href="../cathen/13055c.htm">right</a> to practice their religion openly. Gregory's efforts to procure religious liberty for the <a href="../cathen/03449a.htm">Catholics</a> of <a href="../cathen/05445a.htm">England</a> were without avail. The world knows of the atrocities committed by Queen Elizabeth on many <a href="../cathen/03449a.htm">Catholic</a> missionaries and <a href="../cathen/08748a.htm">laymen</a>. No blame, therefore, attaches to Gregory XIII for trying to depose the queen by force of arms. As early as 1578 he sent Thomas Stukeley with a ship and an army of 800 men to <a href="../cathen/08098b.htm">Ireland</a>, but the treacherous Stukeley joined his forces with those of King Sebastian of <a href="../cathen/12297a.htm">Portugal</a> against Emperor Abdulmelek of <a href="../cathen/10574a.htm">Morocco</a>. Another <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">papal</a> expedition which sailed to <a href="../cathen/08098b.htm">Ireland</a> in 1579 under the command of James Fitzmaurice, accompanied by Nicholas Sanders as <a href="../cathen/11160a.htm">papal nuncio</a>, was equally unsuccessful. Gregory XIII had nothing whatever to do with the plot of <a href="../cathen/07074a.htm#vii">Henry, Duke of Guise</a>, and his brother, <a href="../cathen/07074a.htm#viii">Charles, Duke of Mayenne</a>, to assassinate the queen, and most probably <a href="../cathen/08673a.htm">knew</a> nothing whatever about it (see Bellesheim, "Wilhelm Cardinal Allen", Mainz, 1885, p. 144).</p> <p>Some historians have severely criticized Gregory XIII for ordering that the horrible massacre of the <a href="../cathen/07527b.htm">Huguenots</a> on <a href="../cathen/13333b.htm">St. Bartholomew's Day</a> in 1572 be celebrated in <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a> by a "Te Deum" and other marks of rejoicing. In defence of Gregory XIII it must be stated that he had nothing whatever to do with the massacre itself, and that he as well as Salviati, his <a href="../cathen/11160a.htm">nuncio</a> in <a href="../cathen/11480c.htm">Paris</a>, were kept in <a href="../cathen/07648a.htm">ignorance</a> concerning the intended slaughter. The <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">pope</a> indeed participated in the Roman festivities, but he was probably not acquainted with the circumstances of the <a href="../cathen/11480c.htm">Parisian</a> horrors and, like other <a href="../cathen/05607b.htm">European</a> rulers, had been informed that the <a href="../cathen/07527b.htm">Huguenots</a> had been detected in a conspiracy to kill the king and the whole royal family, and had been thus punished for their treacherous designs. But even if Gregory XIII was aware of all the circumstances of the massacre (which has never been proven), it must be borne in mind that he did not rejoice at the bloodshed, but at the suppression of a political and religious rebellion. That Gregory XIII did not approve of the massacre, but detested the cruel act and shed tears when he was apprised of it, is expressly stated even by the <a href="../cathen/01624b.htm">apostate</a> Gregario Leti in his "Vita di Sisto V" (Cologne, 1706), I, 431-4, anad by Beautome, a contemporary of Gregory XIII, in his "Vie de M. l'Amiralde Chastillon" (Complete works, <a href="../cathen/07108a.htm">The Hague</a>, 1740, VIII, 196). The medal which Gregory XIII had struck in memory of the event bears his effigy on the obverse, which on the reverse under the legend <em>Vgonotiorum Strages</em> (overthrow of the <a href="../cathen/07527b.htm">Huguenots</a>) stands an <a href="../cathen/01476d.htm">angel</a> with cross and drawn sword, killing the <a href="../cathen/07527b.htm">Huguenots</a>.</p> <p>No other act of Gregory XIII has gained for him a more lasting fame than his reform of the Julian calendar which was completed and introduced into most <a href="../cathen/03449a.htm">Catholic</a> countries in 1578. Closely connected with the reform of the calendar is the emendation of the Roman <a href="../cathen/09741a.htm">martyrology</a> which was ordered by Gregory XIII in the autumn of 1580. The emendation was to consist chiefly in the restoration of the original text of Usuard's <a href="../cathen/09741a.htm">martyrology</a>, which was in common use at the time of Gregory XIII. He entrusted the learned <a href="../cathen/14027a.htm">Cardinal Sirleto</a> with the difficult undertaking. The <a href="../cathen/03333b.htm">cardinal</a> formed a committee, consisting of ten members, who assisted him in the work. The first edition of the new <a href="../cathen/09741a.htm">martyrology</a>, which came out in 1582, was full of typographical <a href="../cathen/05525a.htm">errors</a>; likewise the second edition of 1583. Both editions were suppressed by Gregory XIII, and in January, 1584, appeared a third and better edition under the title of "Martyrologium Romanum Gregorii XIII jussu editum" (Rome, 1583). In a brief, <a href="../cathen/04636c.htm">dated</a> 14 January, 1584, Gregory XIII ordered that the new <a href="../cathen/09741a.htm">martyrology</a> should supersede all others. Another great literary achievement of Gregory XIII is an official Roman edition of the Corpus juris canonici. Shortly after the conclusion of the <a href="../cathen/15030c.htm">Council of Trent</a>, <a href="../cathen/12129a.htm">Pius IV</a> had appointed a committee which was to bring out a critical edition of the <a href="../cathen/04670a.htm">Decree</a> of Gratian. The committee was increased to thirty-five members (<em>correctores Romani</em>) by <a href="../cathen/12130a.htm">Pius V</a> in 1566. Gregory XIII had been a member of it from the beginning. The work was finally completed in 1582. In the Briefs "Cum pro munere", <a href="../cathen/04636c.htm">dated</a> 1 July, 1580, and "Emendationem", <a href="../cathen/04636c.htm">dated</a> 2 June, 1582, Gregory XIII ordered that henceforth only the emended official text was to be used and that in the future no other text should be printed.</p> <p>It has already been mentioned that Gregory XIII spent large sums for the erection of colleges and <a href="../cathen/13694a.htm">seminaries</a>. No expense appeared too high to him, if only it was made for the benefit of the <a href="../cathen/03449a.htm">Catholic</a> religion. For the <a href="../cathen/05295b.htm">education</a> of poor candidates for the <a href="../cathen/12409a.htm">priesthood</a> he spent two million sendi during his pontificate, and for the good of <a href="../cathen/03449a.htm">Catholicity</a> he sent large sums of money to <a href="../cathen/09574a.htm">Malta</a>, <a href="../cathen/02121b.htm">Austria</a>, <a href="../cathen/05445a.htm">England</a>, <a href="../cathen/06166a.htm">France</a>, <a href="../cathen/14169b.htm">Spain</a>, and the <a href="../cathen/10759a.htm">Netherlands</a>. In <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a> he built the magnificent Gregorian <a href="../cathen/03574b.htm">chapel</a> in the <a href="../cathen/03041a.htm">church</a> of St. Peter, and the Quirinal palace in 1580; a capacious granary in the Thermae of Diocletian in 1575, and fountains at the Piazza Navona, the Piazza del Pantheon, and the Piazza del Popolo. In recognition of his many improvements in <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a> the senate and the people erected a <a href="../cathen/13641b.htm">statue</a> in his <a href="../cathen/07462a.htm">honour</a> on the Capitoline Hill, when he was still living.</p> <p>The large sums of money spent in this manner necessarily reduced the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">papal</a> treasury. Acting on the advice of Bonfigliuoto, the secretary of the Camera, he confiscated various baronial estates and castles, because some forgotten <a href="../cathen/06058c.htm">feudal</a> liabilities to the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">papal</a> treasury had not been paid, or because their present owners were not the rightful heirs. The barons were in continual fear lest some of their <a href="../cathen/12462a.htm">property</a> would be wrested from them in this way. The result was that the aristocracy <a href="../cathen/07149b.htm">hated</a> the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">papal</a> government, and incited the peasantry to do the same. The <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">papal</a> influence over the aristocracy being thus weakened, the barons of the Romagna made <a href="../cathen/15546c.htm">war</a> against each other, and a period of bloodshed ensued which Gregory XIII was helpless to prevent. Moreover, the imposition of port charges at Aneona and the levy of import taxes on <a href="../cathen/15333a.htm">Venetian</a> goods by the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">papal</a> government, crippled commerce to a considerable extent. The banditti who infested the Campagna were protected by the barons and the peasantry and became daily more bold. They were headed by young men of noble <a href="../cathen/05782a.htm">families</a>, such as Alfonso Piccolomim, <a href="../cathen/09566a.htm">Roberto Malatesta</a>, and others. <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a> itself was filled with these outlaws, and the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">papal</a> officers were always and everywhere in danger of life. Gregory was helpless against these lawless bands. Their suppression was finally effected by his rigorous successor, <a href="../cathen/14033a.htm">Sixtus V</a>.</p> <div class='catholicadnet-728x90' id='cathen-728x90-bottom' style='display: flex; height: 100px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; '></div> <div class="cenotes"><h2>Sources</h2><p class="cenotes">CLAPPI, Compenitio delle attioni e santa vita di Gregorio XIII (Rome, 1591); BOMPLANI, Historia Pont. Greg. XIII (Dillingen, 1685); PALATIUS, Gesta Pontificum Romanorum (Venice, 1688), IV, 329-366; MAFFEL, Annales Gregorii XIII, 2 vols. (Rome, 1712); PAGI, Breviarium Gestorum Pontificum Romanorum (Antwerp, 1753), VI, 718-863; RANKE, Die römischen Papste, tr. FOSTER, History of the Popes (London, 1906), I, 319-333; BROSCH, Gesch. des Kirchenstaates (Gotha, 1880), I, 300 sqq.; MILEY, History of the Papal States.</p></div> <div class="pub"><h2>About this page</h2><p id="apa"><strong>APA citation.</strong> <span id="apaauthor">Ott, M.</span> <span id="apayear">(1910).</span> <span id="apaarticle">Pope Gregory XIII.</span> In <span id="apawork">The Catholic Encyclopedia.</span> <span id="apapublisher">New York: Robert Appleton Company.</span> <span id="apaurl">http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07001b.htm</span></p><p id="mla"><strong>MLA citation.</strong> <span id="mlaauthor">Ott, Michael.</span> <span id="mlaarticle">"Pope Gregory XIII."</span> <span id="mlawork">The Catholic Encyclopedia.</span> <span id="mlavolume">Vol. 7.</span> <span id="mlapublisher">New York: Robert Appleton Company,</span> <span id="mlayear">1910.</span> <span id="mlaurl"><http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07001b.htm>.</span></p><p id="transcription"><strong>Transcription.</strong> <span id="transcriber">This article was transcribed for New Advent by Janet van Heyst.</span> <span id="dedication"></span></p><p id="approbation"><strong>Ecclesiastical approbation.</strong> <span id="nihil"><em>Nihil Obstat.</em> June 1, 1910. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor.</span> <span id="imprimatur"><em>Imprimatur.</em> +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.</span></p><p id="contactus"><strong>Contact information.</strong> The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is webmaster <em>at</em> newadvent.org. Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.</p></div> </div> <div id="ogdenville"><table summary="Bottom bar" width="100%" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td class="bar_white_on_color"><center><strong>Copyright © 2023 by <a href="../utility/contactus.htm">New Advent LLC</a>. 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