Gregory XIII (1572-85)

Gregory XIII, born Ugo Boncompagni, was a pope of the Catholic Church who reigned from 1572 to 1585. He is best known for his role in the reform of the calendar, which is now known as the Gregorian calendar. He was also a patron of the arts and sciences, and he was a strong supporter of the Counter-Reformation.

Gregory XIII was born in Bologna, Italy, in 1502. He was the son of a wealthy lawyer and was educated at the University of Bologna. After graduating, he became a professor of law at the university and was appointed to the papal court in 1550. He was appointed cardinal in 1565 and was elected pope in 1572.

As pope, Gregory XIII was a strong supporter of the Counter-Reformation, which was a movement to reform the Catholic Church and combat the spread of Protestantism. He was a patron of the arts and sciences, and he established the Roman College, which was a school for the study of theology and philosophy. He also established the Gregorian University, which was a center for the study of law and medicine.

Gregory XIII is best known for his reform of the calendar. The Julian calendar, which had been in use since 45 BC, was inaccurate and had caused the date of Easter to drift. Gregory XIII commissioned a team of astronomers and mathematicians to create a new calendar, which was based on the solar year and was more accurate than the Julian calendar. The new calendar was named the Gregorian calendar and was adopted by the Catholic Church in 1582. It was later adopted by most of Europe and is now the most widely used calendar in the world.

Gregory XIII was also a patron of the arts and sciences. He commissioned the construction of the Villa Madama, which was a palace and garden complex in Rome. He also commissioned the construction of the Villa d'Este, which was a palace and garden complex in Tivoli. He also commissioned the construction of the Villa Lante, which was a palace and garden complex in Bagnaia. He also commissioned the construction of the Villa Farnese, which was a palace and garden complex in Caprarola.

Gregory XIII was a strong supporter of the Counter-Reformation and was a patron of the arts and sciences. He was also responsible for the reform of the calendar, which is now known as the Gregorian calendar. His legacy is still felt today, as the Gregorian calendar is the most widely used calendar in the world.