Editing Pope Clement VII (section)

==Early life==
[[File:Leonardo da Vinci - Hanging of Bernardo Baroncelli 1479.jpg|thumb|Hanging of [[Bernardo Bandini Baroncelli|Bernardo Baroncelli]], [[Leonardo da Vinci]], 1479. Pazzi Conspirator.]]
Giulio de' Medici's life began under tragic circumstances. On 26 April 1478—exactly one month before his birth—his father, [[Giuliano de Medici]] (brother of [[Lorenzo the Magnificent]]) was murdered in the [[Florence Cathedral]] by enemies of his family, in what is now known as the "[[Pazzi conspiracy]]".<ref name=fiu>{{cite web |url=https://cardinals.fiu.edu/bios1513.htm |title=The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church |work=Biographical Dictionary |date=September 23, 1513 |access-date=January 27, 2018 |publisher=[[Florida International University]]}}</ref> He was born illegitimately on 26 May 1478, in Florence; the exact identity of his mother remains unknown, although a plurality of scholars contend that it was [[Fioretta Gorini]], the daughter of a professor, Antonio Gorini.<ref name=fiu/><ref name="newadvent.org" /> Giulio spent the first seven years of life with his godfather, the architect [[Antonio da Sangallo the Elder]].<ref name=fiu/>

Thereafter, Lorenzo the Magnificent raised him as one of his own sons, alongside his children Giovanni (the future [[Pope Leo X]]), [[Piero the Unfortunate|Piero]], and [[Giuliano de' Medici, Duke of Nemours|Giuliano]].<ref name=paradox>{{cite web |url=http://www.paradoxplace.com/Perspectives/Italian%20Images/Montages/Firenze/Medici%20Popes.htm |title=The Medici Popes |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170615172353/http://paradoxplace.com/Perspectives/Italian%20Images/Montages/Firenze/Medici%20Popes.htm |archive-date=June 15, 2017 |work=Paradox Place}}</ref> Educated at the [[Palazzo Medici]] in Florence by [[Humanism|humanists]] like [[Angelo Poliziano]], and alongside prodigies like [[Michelangelo]], Giulio became an accomplished musician.<ref name=paradox/><ref name=":0">{{cite journal |last1= Cummings|first1= Anthony M.|date= 1991|title= Giulio de' Medici's Music Books|journal= Early Music History|volume= 10|pages= 65–122|doi= 10.1017/S0261127900001108|s2cid= 191652342}}</ref> In personality he was reputed to be shy, and in physical appearance, handsome.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stsmarthaandmary.org/popes/Clement%20VIIa.htm |title=Clement VII – A Second Medici |work=Sts. Martha and Mary Parish |access-date=January 27, 2018}}</ref>

Giulio's natural inclination was for the clergy, but his illegitimacy barred him from high-ranking positions in the Church. So Lorenzo the Magnificent helped him carve out a career as a soldier.<ref name=fiu/> He was enrolled in the [[Knights Hospitaller|Knights of Rhodes]], but also became [[Grand Prior]] of [[Capua]].<ref name=fiu/> In 1492, when Lorenzo the Magnificent died and Giovanni de' Medici assumed his duties as a cardinal, Giulio became more involved in Church affairs.<ref name=fiu/> He studied canon law at the [[University of Pisa]], and accompanied Giovanni to the [[conclave of 1492]], where [[Rodrigo Borgia]] was elected [[Pope Alexander VI]].<ref name=fiu/>

Following the misfortunes of Lorenzo the Magnificent's firstborn son, [[Piero the Unfortunate]], the Medici were expelled from Florence in 1494.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Piero-di-Lorenzo-de-Medici |title=Piero di Lorenzo de' Medici |author=((Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica))|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopaedia Britannica]] |access-date=January 27, 2018}}</ref> Over the next six years, Cardinal Giovanni and Giulio wandered throughout Europe together—twice getting arrested (first in [[Ulm]], and later in [[Rouen]]). Each time Piero the Unfortunate bailed them out.<ref name=fiu/> In 1500, both returned to Italy and concentrated their efforts on re-establishing their family in Florence. Both were present at the [[Battle of Ravenna (1512)|Battle of Ravenna]] in 1512, where Cardinal Giovanni was captured by the French but Giulio escaped; this led to Giulio becoming an emissary to [[Pope Julius II]].<ref name="auto7">{{Cite web|url=https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/clemente-vii_(Enciclopedia-dei-Papi)|title=Clemente VII in 'Enciclopedia dei Papi'|website=www.treccani.it}}</ref> That same year, with the assistance of Pope Julius and the Spanish troops of [[Ferdinand II of Aragon]], the Medici retook control of Florence.<ref name=fiu/>

===Paternity of Alessandro de' Medici===
In 1510, while the Medici were living near Rome, a servant in their household—identified in documents as [[Simonetta da Collevecchio]]—became pregnant, ultimately giving birth to a son, [[Alessandro de' Medici]]. Nicknamed "il Moro" ("the Moor") due to his dark complexion, Alessandro was officially recognized as the illegitimate son of [[Lorenzo II de Medici]], but at the time and to this day, various scholars suggest that Alessandro was the illegitimate son of Giulio de' Medici.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ft.com/content/37dcb24c-0bcc-11e6-b0f1-61f222853ff3 |title=Review: 'The Black Prince of Florence: The Spectacular Life and Treacherous World of Alessandro de' Medici', by Catherine Fletcher |last=Lyons |first=Matthew |newspaper=Financial Times |date=29 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160622183348/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/37dcb24c-0bcc-11e6-b0f1-61f222853ff3,Authorised=false.html?siteedition=intl&_i_location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2F37dcb24c-0bcc-11e6-b0f1-61f222853ff3.html%3Fsiteedition%3Dintl&_i_referer=&classification=conditional_standard&iab=barrier-app |archive-date=June 22, 2016 |access-date=January 27, 2018}}</ref> The truth of his lineage remains unknown and debated.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/a/africans-in-medieval-and-renaissance-art-duke-alessandro-de-medici/ |title=Africans in Medieval & Renaissance Art: Duke Alessandro de' Medici |year=2016 |location=London |work=[[Victoria and Albert Museum]] |access-date=January 27, 2018}}</ref>

Regardless of his paternity, throughout Alessandro's brief life, Giulio—as Pope Clement VII—showed him great favoritism, elevating Alessandro over [[Ippolito de Medici]] as Florence's first hereditary monarch, despite the latter's comparable qualifications.<ref name=pbs>{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/secret/famous/medici.html |title=Alessandro de Medici |last=de Valdes |first=Mario |work=The Blurred Racial Lines of Famous Families |access-date=January 27, 2018}}</ref>