Gregory XV (Alessandro Ludovisio),
pope (1621-1623), born at
Bologna in
1554, succeeded
Paul V on
February 9, 1621. Beyond assisting the German emperor against the Protestants, and the king of Poland against the Turks, he interfered little in European politics. He was a learned divine and manifested a reforming spirit; and his pontificate was marked by the
canonization of St
Theresa of Avila,
Francis Xavier,
Ignatius Loyola, and
Philip Neri[?]. He died on
July 18,
1623, and was succeeded by
Urban VIII
- Some text from the 9th edition (1880) of an unnamed encyclopedia.