Pope Paul II

Pope Paul II, born Pietro Barbo in 1417, was the head of the Catholic Church from 1464 until his death in 1471. Known for his intellectual and diplomatic skills, he sought to strengthen the papacy’s influence and improve Church administration. He was a patron of the arts and humanism, supporting artists like Botticelli. Despite some political challenges, he worked to balance traditional church authority with new Renaissance ideas. His papacy was relatively short but marked by efforts to promote learning, arts, and Church reform, leaving a lasting impact on the cultural and religious landscape of his time.