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Pope Adrian VI
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Pope Adrian VI

Pope of the Catholic Church from 1522 to 1523 (1459–1523)

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Pope Adrian VI (Latin: Hadrianus VI; Italian: Adriano VI; German: Hadrian VI.; Dutch: Adrianus/Adriaan VI), born Adriaan Florensz Boeyens (2 March 1459 – 14 September 1523), was head of the Catholic Church and leader of the Papal States from 9 January 1522 until his death on 14 September 1523. The only Dutchman to become pope, he was the last non-Italian pope until the Polish John Paul II 455 years later.

Quick facts

Born
wd
Place of birth
Utrecht wd
Died
wd
Place of death
Rome wd
Citizenship
Holy Roman Empire, Papal States wd
Occupation
theologian, university teacher, Catholic priest, philosopher, Catholic bishop wd
Education
Old University of Leuven wd

Positions held wd

  • Pope (19 January 1522 – 14 September 1523)
  • High Inquisitor of Castille (14 March 1518 – 4 August 1522)
  • cardinal priest (1 July 1517 – 4 August 1522)
  • Inquisitor General of Aragon (14 November 1516 – 14 March 1518)
  • Roman Catholic Bishop of Tortosa (18 August 1516 – 9 January 1522)
  • regent

About

Born in the Episcopal principality of Utrecht of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, Adrian studied at the University of Leuven in the Low Countries, where he rose to the position of professor of theology, also serving as its rector (the equivalent of president or vice-chancellor). In 1507, he became the tutor of the future Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, who later trusted him as both his emissary and his regent. In 1516, Charles, now King of Castile and Aragon, appointed Adrian bishop of Tortosa, Spain, and soon thereafter Grand Inquisitor of the kingdoms of Aragon and Castile. Pope Leo X made him a cardinal in 1517 and after Leo's death he was elected pope in 1522 as a compromise candidate.

Adrian came to the papacy in the midst of one of its greatest crises, threatened not only by Lutheranism to the north but also by the advance of the Ottoman Turks to the east. He refused to compromise with Lutheranism theologically, demanding Luther's condemnation as a heretic. However, he is noted for having attempted to reform the Catholic Church administration in response to the Protestant Reformation. Adrian's admission that the Roman Curia itself was at fault for the turmoil in the Church was read at the 1522–1523 Diet of Nuremberg.

His efforts at reform proved fruitless, as they were resisted by most of his contemporaries, and he did not live long enough to see his efforts through to their conclusion. He was succeeded by the second Medici pope, Clement VII.…

Questions

When was Pope Adrian VI born?
Pope Adrian VI was born on 2 March 1459 in Utrecht.
What positions has Pope Adrian VI held?
Positions held by Pope Adrian VI include: Pope (1522–1523); High Inquisitor of Castille (1518–1522); cardinal priest (1517–1522); Inquisitor General of Aragon (1516–1518); Roman Catholic Bishop of Tortosa (1516–1522).
Where did Pope Adrian VI study?
Pope Adrian VI was educated at Old University of Leuven.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia (English): Pope Adrian VI · CC BY-SA 4.0
  2. Wikidata item Q57087 · CC0 1.0
  3. Image: Portrait of Pope Adrian VI (after Jan van Scorel).jpg by After Jan van Scorel (Public domain)

Last updated · facts checked 4 November 2026

Cite this page

"Pope Adrian VI". DigiNepal. Last updated 3 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/pope-adrian-vi. Retrieved 4 November 2026.

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Text from the Wikipedia article Pope Adrian VI, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Portrait of Pope Adrian VI (after Jan van Scorel).jpg — After Jan van Scorel, Public domain.

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