Pope Julius III

Pope Julius III
Bishop of Rome
Portrait by the circle of Girolamo Siciolante, c. 1550 (oil on canvas, 106 x 86 cm; Rijksmuseum)
Church	Catholic Church
Papacy began	7 February 1550
Papacy ended	23 March 1555
Predecessor	Paul III
Successor	Marcellus II
Orders
Consecration	12 November 1514 by Antonio Maria Ciocchi del Monte
Created cardinal	22 December 1536 by Paul III
Personal details
Born	Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte 10 September 1487 Monte San Savino, Republic of Siena
Died	23 March 1555(1555-03-23) (aged 67) Rome, Papal States
Previous post(s)	Archbishop of Manfredonia (1512–1544) Bishop of Pavia (1521–1530) Cardinal-Priest of San Vitale (1537–1542) Cardinal-Priest of Santa Prassede (1542–1543) Cardinal-Bishop of Palestrina (1543–1550)
Coat of arms
Other popes named Julius

Papal styles of Pope Julius III
Reference style	His Holiness
Spoken style	Your Holiness
Religious style	Holy Father
Posthumous style	None

Pope Julius III (Latin: Iulius PP. III; Italian: Giulio III; 10 September 1487 – 23 March 1555), born Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 7 February 1550 to his death, in March 1555.

After a career as a distinguished and effective diplomat, he was elected to the papacy as a compromise candidate after the death of Paul III. As pope, he made only reluctant and short-lived attempts at reform, mostly devoting himself to a life of personal pleasure. His reputation, and that of the Catholic Church, were greatly harmed by his scandal-ridden relationship with his adopted nephew, Innocenzo Ciocchi Del Monte.^[1]