Pope Paul IV was born with the given name of Gian Pietro Carafa in the year 1476 A.D., and died in 1559 A.D. He began his reign as Pope in the year 1555 A.D. and ended his reign in the year 1559 A.D., during the Reformation. Paul IV was from Naples, and his papal number is: 223 out of 267 officially recognized Roman Catholic Popes.
Summary: Severe reform pope who strengthened the Roman Inquisition.
Biography:Paul IV brought uncompromising zeal to the papacy. A founder of the Theatine order and a stern reformer, he pursued moral and doctrinal discipline with relentless intensity.
He strengthened the Roman Inquisition and the Index of Forbidden Books, embodying the more rigorous and defensive aspect of the Catholic Reformation. His severity won admiration from some and resentment from many.
Paul IV’s legacy is powerful and polarizing: he gave sharp institutional force to reform, but often in harsh and inflexible ways.
