On This Day

Camillo Borghese elected to succeed Pope Leo XI, becomes Pope Paul V

Pope Paul V (Latin: Paulus PP. V; Italian: Paolo V) (17 September 1550 – 28 January 1621), born Camillo Borghese, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 16 May 1605 to his...

Pope Paul V (Latin: Paulus PP. V; Italian: Paolo V) (17 September 1550 – 28 January 1621), born Camillo Borghese, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 16 May 1605 to his death, in January 1621. In 1611, he honored Galileo Galilei as a member of the papal Accademia dei Lincei and supported his discoveries. In 1616, Pope Paul V instructed Cardinal Robert Bellarmine to inform Galileo that the Copernican theory could not be taught as fact, but Bellarmine's certificate allowed Galileo to continue his studies in search for evidence and use the geocentric model as a theoretical device. That same year Paul V assured Galileo that he was safe from persecution so long as he, the Pope, should live.

Historical Significance

Pope Paul V (Latin: Paulus PP.

Events Before

  1. Siege of Ostend ends after Dutch and English forces surrender the city, allowing Ambrosio Spinola's Spanish army to reca

    Siege of Ostend ends after Dutch and English forces surrender the city, allowing Ambrosio Spinola's Spanish army to recapture the devastated city and end one of the bloodiest sieges in history that caused an estimated 100,000 casualties

  2. Count Maurits' army lands at Cadzand

    Count Maurits' army lands at Cadzand

  3. Leon VII Spanish poet's first poem is published: La Cocina

    Leon VII Spanish poet's first poem is published: La Cocina

  4. Pierre Dugua de Monts reaches Cap La Hève (La Have) on the Nova Scotia coast, on his way to establish Arcadia, the first

    Pierre Dugua de Monts reaches Cap La Hève (La Have) on the Nova Scotia coast, on his way to establish Arcadia, the first successful permanent settlement in New France

  5. Spanish garrison of Aardenburg surrenders to Mauritius

    Spanish garrison of Aardenburg surrenders to Mauritius

Events After

  1. First known European landing in Australia by Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon at the Pennefather River, Cape York, northe

    First known European landing in Australia by Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon at the Pennefather River, Cape York, northern Australia

  2. Mughal prince Khusrav, son of Emperor Jahangir, begins a rebellion against his father, put down a few weeks later with t

    Mughal prince Khusrav, son of Emperor Jahangir, begins a rebellion against his father, put down a few weeks later with the prince blinded as punishment

  3. England adopts the Union Flag, replaced in 1801 by current Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack

    The Union Jack or Union Flag is the national flag of the United Kingdom. The flag consists of the red cross of Saint George (the patron saint of England), edged in white, superimposed on the red...

  4. Spanish Queirós Expedition are the first Europeans to discover Espíritu Santo, Vanuatu - although they think they have d

    Spanish Queirós Expedition are the first Europeans to discover Espíritu Santo, Vanuatu - although they think they have discovered Terra Australis (southern continent) [1]

  5. 2,000 foreigners murdered in Russia

    2,000 foreigners murdered in Russia

More from the 1600s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on May 16, 1605?
Pope Paul V (Latin: Paulus PP. V; Italian: Paolo V) (17 September 1550 – 28 January 1621), born Camillo Borghese, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 16 May 1605 to his death, in January 1621. In 1611, he honored Galileo Galilei as a member of the papal Accademia dei Lincei and supported his discoveries.
Why is Camillo Borghese elected to succeed Pope Leo XI, becomes Pope Paul V significant?
Pope Paul V (Latin: Paulus PP.

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