JULIUS II. (Julian de la Rovere), pope, remarkable
for his warlike disposition, and his political negotia-
tions: by the latter, he engaged the principal powers
of Europe to league with him against the republic
of Venice, called the league of Cambrai, signified in
1508. The Venetians having purchased peace by the
cession of part of Romania, Julius turned his arms
against Louis XII. king of France, and appeared in
person, armed cap-a-pie, at the siege of Mirandola;
which place he took by assault in 1511. But proceed-
ing to excommunicate Louis, the king wisely turned
his own weapons against him, by calling a general
council at Pisa: at which the pope refusing to appear,
was declared to be suspended from the holy see; and
Louis, in his turn, excommunicated the pope, who
died soon after in 1512. He built the famous church of
St Peter at Rome, and was a patron of the polite arts.