Renaissance · Europe · Religion

1566

Pope Pius V Elected

1566

The ascetic Dominican Michele Ghislieri became Pope Pius V and set about enforcing the decrees of Trent with ferocity. He standardized the Roman Missal, promoted the rosary, excommunicated Queen Elizabeth, and helped put together the Holy League that would win Lepanto. Rome had a reforming zealot at the top. His personal asceticism, including sleeping on bare boards, made him one of the Counter-Reformation's most genuinely pious popes.