kids encyclopedia robot

Pope Pius II facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Pius II
Papacy began 19 August 1458
Papacy ended 14 August 1464
Predecessor Pope Callixtus III
Successor Pope Paul II
Personal details
Birth name Enea Silvio Piccolomini
Born (1405-10-18)October 18, 1405
Died August 14, 1464(1464-08-14) (aged 58)
Other Popes named Pius
Papa Pio II
Monument of Pius II located in Otočac, Croatia

Pope Pius II (Latin: Pius Secundus; 18 October 1405 – 14 August 1464), born Enea Silvio Piccolomini , was an Italian priest of the Roman Catholic Church and the 211th Pope from August 19, 1458 until his death in 1464.

Early life

Pius II was born at Corsignano, which is near Siena. He was the oldest of 18 children.

He studied at the University of Siena.

He was ordained in 1446.

Bishop

In 1447, Pope Nicholas V made Piccolomini Bishop of Trieste. In 1450, he was made Bishop of Siena.

Cardinal

In 1456, Pope Calixtus III raised Bishop Piccolomini to the rank of cardinal.

Pope

Cardinal Piccolomini was elected pope in 1458. The pope chose to be called "Pius" because of the adjective pious which recurs in the phrase "pius Aeneas" in Virgil's Aeneid.

Pope Pius was involved in Italian and European political disputes.

According to Niccolò Machiavelli, "Pius showed himself mindful above all of the welfare of Christendom and of the honour of the Church, independent of any private passion or interest of his own."

St. Catherine of Siena was canonized during his reign.

In a statistical overview derived from writings by and about Pope Pius II, OCLC/WorldCat includes roughly 20+ works in 30+ publications in 5 languages and 120+ library holdings.

  • De miseria curialium (1485)
  • Epistolæ in pontificatu editæ (1487)
  • Aeneas Siluius in Europam (1490)
  • Eneas siluius de remedio amoris Somniu fortune eiusdem (1490)
  • Epistolae familiares (1492)
  • Lystoire de Eurialus et Lucresse, vrays amoureux (1493)
  • Commentarii rerum memorabilium quae temporibus suis contigerunt (1584)

Related pages

Images for kids

kids search engine
Pope Pius II Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.