On This Day

Pietro Barbo elected to succeed Pope Pius II as Pope Paul II

Pope Paul II (Latin: Paulus II; Italian: Paolo II; 23 February 1417 – 26 July 1471), born Pietro Barbo, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 30 August 1464 to his death...

Pope Paul II (Latin: Paulus II; Italian: Paolo II; 23 February 1417 – 26 July 1471), born Pietro Barbo, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 30 August 1464 to his death in 1471. When his maternal uncle became Pope Eugene IV, Barbo switched from training to be a merchant to religious studies. His rise in the Church was relatively rapid. Elected pope in 1464, Paul amassed a great collection of art and antiquities.

Historical Significance

Pope Paul II (Latin: Paulus II; Italian: Paolo II; 23 February 1417 – 26 July 1471), born Pietro Barbo, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 30 August 1464 to his death in 1471.

Events Before

  1. Ming Dynasty Chinese military general Cao Qin stages a coup against the Tianshun Emperor

    The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty.

  2. Empire of Trebizond surrenders to forces of Sultan Mehmed II, the last remnant of the Byzantine Empire to fall; Emperor

    Empire of Trebizond surrenders to forces of Sultan Mehmed II, the last remnant of the Byzantine Empire to fall; Emperor David is exiled and later executed

  3. Battle of Świecino [Battle of Żarnowiec]: Kingdom of Poland decisively defeats a 2,700-man army of the Teutonic Knights

    Battle of Świecino [Battle of Żarnowiec]: Kingdom of Poland decisively defeats a 2,700-man army of the Teutonic Knights near Krokowa, Poland during the Thirteen Years' War

  4. Albert VI of Habsburg lays siege to his brother Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III occupying Vienna

    Albert VI of Habsburg lays siege to his brother Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III occupying Vienna

  5. French poet Francois Villon banished from Paris

    François Villon is the best known French poet of the Late Middle Ages. He was involved in criminal behavior and had multiple encounters with law enforcement authorities.

Events After

  1. Peace of St Truiden: Louis of Bourbon is restored as Prince-Bishop of Liège after a period of exile

    Peace of St Truiden: Louis of Bourbon is restored as Prince-Bishop of Liège after a period of exile

  2. A conspiracy against Piero di Cosimo de Medici in Florence, led by Luca Pitti, is discovered

    Piero di Cosimo de' Medici, known as Piero the Gouty (Italian: Piero "il Gottoso"), (1416 – 2 December 1469) was the de facto ruler of the Republic of Florence from 1464 to 1469, during the Italian...

  3. The Thirteen Years' War ends with the Second Peace of Thorn, Germany

    The Peace of Thorn or Toruń of 1466, also known as the Second Peace of Thorn or Toruń (Polish: drugi pokój toruński; German: Zweiter Friede von Thorn), was a peace treaty signed in the Hanseatic city...

  4. Battle at Velke Kostolany: Hungarian king Mátyás Corvinus beats Bratrici

    Battle at Velke Kostolany: Hungarian king Mátyás Corvinus beats Bratrici

  5. The miraculous image in Our Lady of Good Counsel appear in Genazzano, Italy

    The miraculous image in Our Lady of Good Counsel appear in Genazzano, Italy

More from the 1460s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on August 30, 1464?
Pope Paul II (Latin: Paulus II; Italian: Paolo II; 23 February 1417 – 26 July 1471), born Pietro Barbo, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 30 August 1464 to his death in 1471. When his maternal uncle became Pope Eugene IV, Barbo switched from training to be a merchant to religious studies. His rise in the Church was relatively rapid.
Why is Pietro Barbo elected to succeed Pope Pius II as Pope Paul II significant?
Pope Paul II (Latin: Paulus II; Italian: Paolo II; 23 February 1417 – 26 July 1471), born Pietro Barbo, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 30 August 1464 to his death in 1471.

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