PAOLO II, POPE. — Pietro Barbo, son of a sister of Eugenio IV, b. in Venice on 23 February 1417, d. in Rome on 26 July 1471. His uncle created him a cardinal on 1 July 1440; he received the bishopric of Vicenza from Niccolò V on 16 June 1451, and then that of Padua from Pio II on 9 March 1459, which, however, he resigned on 26 March 1460. As a cardinal, he began the great palace with its garden, attached to his titular presbyteral church of S. Marco, and showed himself a passionate collector of gems, antiquities, medals, and works of art; he showed less favour toward the humanists, believing that they directed the young along a misguided path. Elected pontiff on 30 August 1464, he declared that he did not consider himself bound by the electoral capitulation concluded and sworn during the conclave, since it infringed the legitimate authority of the pontiff.
He governed with great moderation and worked to repress the factions and private reprisals that disturbed order and peace in the City; he made provision for the grain supply and encouraged agriculture; he subjected the city statutes to revision (1469) in order to improve public administration; he promoted public entertainments. For the security of the Patrimony, he defeated the Anguillara and in the summer of 1469 worked to restore order in Romagna and peace in Italy. He tried in vain to promote an expedition against the Turks, who were extending their conquests in Greece and the Aegean islands, and refused to recognize Giorgio Podisbrad as king of Bohemia because of his favour toward heretics. He received Emperor Federico III in Rome at Christmas 1468, Giorgio Scanderbeg in 1466, and Borso d’Este in 1471, whom he then created duke; he offered refuge to Caterina, queen of Bosnia, expelled from her kingdom in 1467; and he undertook the reorganization of the Knights of Rhodes. In the reorganization of the Curia, he sought to reduce the number of abbreviators, provoking the anger of the curials affected (1464), particularly Bartolomeo Platina, who insulted the Pope and was also imprisoned. Later, there was also talk of revolutionary designs on the part of those who, together with Pomponio Leto, formed the Roman Academy, as though they intended to repeat the deeds of Stefano Porcari, taking advantage of riots that broke out in 1468. In the face of an inquiry, some fled, while others, such as Pomponio and Platina, were brought to trial; but since nothing positive was found against them, they were released in the spring of 1469.
The Pope was buried in the Vatican Basilica, but his magnificent tomb was dismantled during its reconstruction. — Vedi tav. LIV.