born Dec. 11, 1475, Florence
died Dec. 1, 1521, Rome

original name Giovanni de' Medici
one of the most extravagant of the Renaissance popes (reigned 1513–21), who made Rome a centre of European culture and raised the papacy to significant political power in Europe. He depleted the papal treasury, and, by his response to the developing Reformation, he contributed to the dissolution of the unified Western church. Leo excommunicated Martin Luther in 1521.

Sources

• Encylopedia Britannica 2002, Expanded Edition DVD

Web

• Wikipedia article
• Catholic Encylopedia article