Editing Pope Leo XI (section)

=== Papal election ===
{{main|March–April 1605 papal conclave}}
On 14 March 1605, eleven days after the death of Clement VIII, 62 cardinals entered the [[papal election|conclave]]. Prominent among the candidates for the papacy were the great [[historian]] [[Caesar Baronius]] and the famous [[Jesuit]] controversialist [[Robert Bellarmine]], future saint.

But [[Pietro Aldobrandini]], the leader of the Italian party among the cardinals, allied with the French cardinals and brought about the election of Alessandro against the express wish of King [[Philip III of Spain]]. King [[Henry IV of France]] is said to have spent 300,000 [[écu]]s in the promotion of Alessandro's candidacy.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qiTl-lhM36wC&pg=PA236 |page=236 |title=Saints & Sinners: A History of the Popes |isbn=0300115970 |last1=Duffy |first1=Eamon |year=2006 |publisher=Yale University Press }}</ref>

On 1 April 1605, Cardinal Alessandro de' Medici was elected as pope. He chose to be called Leo XI in honor of his uncle [[Pope Leo X]].<ref name="catholic"/> He was [[Papal coronation|crowned]] on 10 April 1605 by the [[protodeacon]], Cardinal [[Francesco Sforza (cardinal)|Francesco Sforza]] and he took possession of the [[Basilica of Saint John Lateran]] on 17 April 1605.