Buoncompagni, Ugo
Buoncompagni, Ugo
Reigned from 13 May 1572 to 10 April 1585 . Born in Bologna, Italy on 7 February 1502 ; died in Rome, Italy on 10 April 1585 . He was instructor in jurisprudence at the University of Bologna, one of the jurists at the Council of Trent, Apostolic secretary, and cardinal-priest. Elected pope, he carried out the Tridentine reforms zealously, promulgated the revised canon laws, revised the Martyrology, condemned the errors of Baius, and stemmed the tide of Protestantism by raising the educational standards of the seminaries. To this end he founded 23 seminaries of various grades. He opposed Elizabeth’s persecution of Catholics in England and attempted to effect her deposition by aiding two unsuccessful expeditions to Ireland , 1578. He was probably unaware of the circumstances of the massacre of Saint Bartholomew’s day, when he ordered thanksgiving festivities in Rome, having been officially notified that it was the punishment of conspirators in a plot to assassinate the royal family. When informed of the true details he condemned the slaughter. One of his achievements was the reform of the Gregorian calendar which was introduced into most Catholic Countries, 1578.