INNOCENT VIII, POPE. – Born in Genoa in 1432, died in Rome between 25 and 26 July 1492. At the death of Pope Sixtus IV, in 1484, Rome was under arms, and the College of Cardinals also divided into two groups, one led by Rodrigo Borgia, who had the support of the Orsini, the other by Giuliano della Rovere, supported by the Colonna; after various negotiations, a certain truce was reached, allowing the Conclave to begin on 26 August in the Vatican, in the presence of 25 cardinals, of whom only 4 were foreigners. Gian Battista Cibo, aged 52, was elected. In his youth he had grown up at the court of Naples, then had become bishop of Savona, subsequently transferred to Amalfi, and had been elevated to the cardinalate in 1473; he was sickly, amiable in character, very welcoming, but without willpower and ready to rely on anyone who knew how to persuade him.
His conduct in his youth had been highly reprehensible, and at the time of his election two of his sons were still alive; he showered them with wealth and arranged excellent marriages for them (Franceschetto married the daughter of Lorenzo de' Medici); nor can it be ruled out that his election took place through simony. The coronation took place on 12 September, with a solemn procession to the Lateran that proceeded without incident. I. favoured the arts, had the famous Belvedere built in the Vatican and the villa at Magliana, and embellished various churches; during his pontificate the Pollaio, Pinturicchio, Mantegna, Lippi, and Perugino worked in Rome; the papal court was ostentatious but immoral, and to meet its enormous expenses a thousand expedients were employed, multiplying offices and selling appointments, which fell into the hands of unworthy holders, who in turn were ready to recoup themselves by extorting money from the faithful of the various European countries, thereby provoking fierce protests everywhere. It should also be added that the Pope’s frequent illnesses often gave rise to rumours of his death, with all the disorders that followed in the city on such occasions—killings, looting, and other atrocities.
In politics I. was inconsistent; at first he was driven to fight Ferdinand of Naples because this was in the interest of the Colonna, while the Orsini supported the King; the Romans found themselves threatened by famine and had to fortify themselves within the walls, but after a long war conducted without conviction, the party of peace prevailed, also through the intervention of the King of Spain and Ludovico il Moro; on 12 September 1486 the terms were published, entailing some sacrifice on the part of the Pope but restoring tranquillity to Rome. Later, disagreements resumed between the Pontiff and the King of Naples, who also appealed to a Council; he was therefore excommunicated, and aid was sent from Rome to the rebel barons; shortly before his death I. once again came to an agreement with Ferdinand, and this time Lorenzo de' Medici exercised influence over him. The Pope had relied blindly on Lorenzo after being assisted by the lord of Florence in his usual financial difficulties; one of the compensations was the purple for Lorenzo’s very young son, Giovanni, who later became Leo X. Alongside Lorenzo, Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere enjoyed great prestige throughout the pontificate; it was to his influence and manoeuvrings that I. owed the tiara.
Among I.’s other political acts may be recalled the recognition of Henry VII Tudor as king of England after the Wars of the Roses, and the granting of the title of Catholic King to Ferdinand of Aragon after the capture of Granada and the definitive expulsion of the Arabs from Spain. The Pope even concluded a pact with the Turkish sultan Bajazid II, although he had previously preached a crusade against him; the treaty (1489) established the payment of an annual tribute to I., who in return undertook not to stir up opponents against the Sultan; and indeed
the latter’s brother was kept in a gilded prison in the Vatican.
Two acts that more directly concern the religious sphere are the famous condemnation of Pico della Mirandola’s 900 theses (4 August 1486) and the equally celebrated condemnation of witchcraft (the bull Summis desiderantes of 5 December 1484); to the first Pico replied with a self-defence, while the second was followed by a campaign by the Dominican inquisitors in Germany against the guilty, a persecution that was not free from exaggerated violence caused by excessive credulity. – Vedi tav. IV.