Pope Paul III

Papal styles of
**Pope Paul III**
Papal styles of; Pope Paul III
Reference style	His Holiness
Spoken style	Your Holiness
Religious style	Holy Father
Posthumous style	None

Pope

Paul III
Pope; Paul III
Bishop of Rome
	Portrait of Pope Paul III, 1543
Church	Catholic Church
Papacy began	13 October 1534
Papacy ended	10 November 1549
Predecessor	Clement VII
Successor	Julius III
Previous post(s)	Cardinal-Deacon of Santi Cosma e Damiano (1493–1503); Bishop of Corneto and Montefiascone (1499–1509); Cardinal-Deacon of Sant'Eustachio (1503–1519); Archpriest of the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran (1508–1534); Bishop of Parma (1509–1534); Protodeacon of the College of Cardinals (1516–1519); Cardinal-Bishop of Frascati (1519–1523); Cardinal-Bishop of Palestrina (1523); Cardinal-Bishop of Sabina (1523–1524); Cardinal-Bishop of Porto (1524); Cardinal-Bishop of Ostia (1524–1534); Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals (1524);
Orders
Ordination	26 June 1519
Consecration	2 July 1519; by Leo X
Created cardinal	20 September 1493 ; by Alexander VI
Personal details
Born	Alessandro Farnese; 29 February 1468; Canino, Lazio, Papal States
Died	10 November 1549 (aged 81); Rome, Papal States
Buried	St. Peter's Basilica
Partner	Silvia Ruffini (mistress)
Children	Pier Luigi II Farnese; Paolo Farnese; Ranuccio Farnese; Costanza Farnese; Lucrezia Farnese
Coat of arms
	Other popes named Paul

Pope Paul III (Latin: Paulus III; Italian: Paolo III; 29 February 1468 – 10 November 1549), born Alessandro Farnese, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 October 1534 to his death, in November 1549.

He came to the papal throne in an era following the sack of Rome in 1527 and rife with uncertainties in the Catholic Church as the Protestant Reformation progressed. His pontificate initiated the Catholic Reformation with the Council of Trent in 1545, and witnessed wars of religion in which Emperor Charles V launched military campaigns against the Protestants in Germany. He recognized new Catholic religious orders and societies such as the Jesuits, the Barnabites, and the Congregation of the Oratory. His efforts were distracted by nepotism to advance the power and fortunes of his family, including his illegitimate son Pier Luigi Farnese.

Paul III was a significant patron of artists including Michelangelo, and it is to him that Nicolaus Copernicus dedicated his heliocentric treatise.

Pope Paul III
Bishop of Rome
Portrait of Pope Paul III, 1543
Church	Catholic Church
Papacy began	13 October 1534
Papacy ended	10 November 1549
Predecessor	Clement VII
Successor	Julius III
Previous post(s)	Cardinal-Deacon of Santi Cosma e Damiano (1493–1503) Bishop of Corneto and Montefiascone (1499–1509) Cardinal-Deacon of Sant'Eustachio (1503–1519) Archpriest of the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran (1508–1534) Bishop of Parma (1509–1534) Protodeacon of the College of Cardinals (1516–1519) Cardinal-Bishop of Frascati (1519–1523) Cardinal-Bishop of Palestrina (1523) Cardinal-Bishop of Sabina (1523–1524) Cardinal-Bishop of Porto (1524) Cardinal-Bishop of Ostia (1524–1534) Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals (1524)
Orders
Ordination	26 June 1519
Consecration	2 July 1519 by Leo X
Created cardinal	20 September 1493 by Alexander VI
Personal details
Born	Alessandro Farnese 29 February 1468 Canino, Lazio, Papal States
Died	10 November 1549(1549-11-10) (aged 81) Rome, Papal States
Buried	St. Peter's Basilica
Partner	Silvia Ruffini (mistress)
Children	Pier Luigi II Farnese Paolo Farnese Ranuccio Farnese Costanza Farnese Lucrezia Farnese
Coat of arms
Other popes named Paul