Editing Pope Leo X (section)

===Final years===
That Leo did not do more to check the anti-papal rebellion in Germany and Scandinavia is to be partially explained by the political complications of the time, and by his own preoccupation with papal and Medicean politics in Italy. The death of the Emperor [[Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor|Maximilian]] in 1519 had seriously affected the situation. Leo vacillated between the [[1519 imperial election|powerful candidates]] for the succession, allowing it to appear at first that he favoured Francis or a minor German prince. He finally accepted [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles of Spain]] as inevitable.<ref name=Chisholm1911/>

Leo was now eager to unite [[Duchy of Ferrara|Ferrara]], Parma and Piacenza to the Papal States. An attempt late in 1519 to seize Ferrara failed, and the pope recognized the need for foreign aid. In May 1521 a treaty of alliance was signed at Rome between him and the emperor. [[Duchy of Milan|Milan]] and [[Republic of Genoa|Genoa]] were to be taken from France and restored to the Empire, and [[Parma]] and [[Piacenza]] were to be given to the Church on the expulsion of the French. The expense of enlisting 10,000 Swiss was to be borne equally by Pope and emperor. Charles V took Florence and the Medici family under his protection and promised to punish all enemies of the Catholic faith. Leo agreed to invest Charles V with the [[Kingdom of Naples]], to crown him [[Holy Roman Emperor]], and to aid in a war against Venice. It was provided that England and the [[Old Swiss Confederacy|Swiss]] might also join the league. Henry VIII announced his adherence in August 1521. [[Francis I of France]] had already begun war with Charles V in [[Kingdom of Navarre|Navarre]], and in Italy, too, the French made the first hostile movement on 23 June 1521. Leo at once announced that he would excommunicate the king of France and release his subjects from their allegiance unless Francis I laid down his arms and surrendered Parma and Piacenza to the Church. The pope lived to hear the joyful news of the capture of Milan from the French and of the occupation by papal troops of the long-coveted provinces (November 1521).<ref name=Chisholm1911/>

Having fallen ill with [[bronchopneumonia]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.palazzo-medici.it/mediateca/en/Scheda_Leone_X|title=Leo X, Pope (1475–1521)|publisher=Mediateca di Palazzo Medici Riccardi|language=it|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407104828/http://www.palazzo-medici.it/mediateca/en/Scheda_Leone_X|archive-date=7 April 2014}}</ref> Pope Leo X died on 1 December 1521, so suddenly that the last sacraments could not be administered; but the contemporary suspicions of poison were unfounded. He was buried in [[Santa Maria sopra Minerva]].<ref name=Chisholm1911/>