Pope Julius II and the Swiss Guard

Pope Julius II (Giuliano della Rovere ) was born in Liguria, Italy, the son of nobility. Members of his family held positions in the Catholic Church. Pope Sixtus IV was his uncle and after his election as Pope, and Giuliano della Rovere received many tranquil places of duty and promotions. In December, 1471, he was appointed Cardinal Priest of San Pietro in Vincoli in Rome.

With the death of Sixtus IV in 1484, Cardinal Cibo rose to the papacy as Innocent VIII. When Innocent VIII died in 1492, Giuliano della Rovere hoped to become Pope, but the cardinals disliked him for the influence he held. Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia soared to the papacy as Alexander VI, was a personal enemy to Giuliano. Terrified Giuliano remained away from Rome until Alexander's death in 1503. His successor Pius III already sick and frail died only 26 days after his election. This time Giuliano della Rovere finally became Pope. He was elected in October 1503 as Julius II.

Julius directed his interest to enlarging the Papal States, and went to war with powerful Venice. He was able to restore to the Papal States most of the territories in Romagna, Perugia and Bologna. 1506 is the official date of the beginning of the Papal Swiss Guard. A group of one hundred and fifty Swiss soldiers commanded by Captain Kasparvon Silenen of Canton Uri, passed through the Porta del Popolo and entered for the first time the Vatican, where they were blessed by Pope Julius II.

Historically Pope Sixtus IV made a previous alliance in 1497 with the Confederates, which predicted the option of recruiting mercenaries. He was the one who built barracks for them near the small Church of St. Pellegrino, in Via Pellegrino in Vatican City. Renewing the old pact, Innocent VIII (1484-1492) preferred to use them against the Duke of Milan. Alexander VI used Confederate soldiers during the time of the treaty between the Borgia family and the King of France. By the end of 1494, thousands of Swiss Guards were in Rome, together with the French army. In February 1495 they occupied Naples. Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere was among the accomplice in that mission against Naples, the future Pope Julius II.

The Papal Swiss Guard descended from the Helvetian soldiers is renowned for their courage, noble sentiments and loyalty. This is why the Swiss Cantons, as allies first with one side and then with another, played such an important role in the history of European politics. The Swiss government hired out these soldiers for hire to other foreign countries. In fact as cohorts of Pope Julius II in 1512 they helped to shape Italy's destiny. They were bestridden by the Pope the title of "Defenders of the Church's freedom." From the 15th - 19th centuries to be a mercenary soldier was a routine occupation; there lived a populace of warriors in the heart of the Alps. The first Swiss province had approximately 500,000 residents which caused overpopulation. This caused an unstable economic situation for the times, resulting in much poverty. One of the most beneficial jobs was a mercenary soldier in a foreign country.

Work Cited:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_the_Vatican_City

http://www.luminarium.org/encyclopedia/julius2.htm

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/swiss_guard/swissguard/storia_en.htm