See FELIS, MAMMALLIA Index.

Astronomy, the fifth of the 12 signs of the zodiac. The stars in the constellation Leo, in Ptolemy's catalogue are 27; besides the unformed, which are 8; in Tycho's 30; in the Britannic catalogue 95.

Leo X. Pope, second son of Lorenzo de Medici, was born at Florence in December 1475, and received the baptismal name of Giovanni, or John. He received the tonsure at seven years of age, his father having destined him for the church. Being even at that early period declared capable of clerical preferment, he obtained two rich abbeys through the interest of his father with Louis XI. of France, and Pope Sixtus IV. At a very early period he held no fewer than 29 church preferments, a strong proof of the most scandalous corruption, as well as of the interest which his family enjoyed. In the time of Innocent VIII. he was promoted to the high rank of cardinal, when no more than 13 years of age, which took place in the year 1488. If the great influence of his father was unquestionably censurable in promoting the rapid and illegal advancement of his son, it is but justice to admit that he employed all his efforts to qualify him for such premature dignity. The learned Angelo Poliziano had the care of his early education, which was greatly accelerated by the uncommon gravity and solidity of his disposition. He was invested with the purple in 1492, going afterwards to reside at Rome as one of the sacred college. Having opposed the election of Alexander VI. to the pontificate, he found it prudent to withdraw to Florence, in which place he acquired much personal esteem; but on the invasion of Italy by Charles VIII. of France, he was involved in the expulsion of his brother Piero, and took refuge at Bologna. In 1499 he made a tour through the states of Venice, Germany, and France, going afterwards to Rome, where he lived safe and respected during the pontificate of Alexander, in consequence of his prudent behaviour.

In 1505, when 30 years of age, he began to take an active part in public affairs, and Julius II. appointed him governor of Perugia. As he adhered with unshaken resolution to the interest of the pope, he acquired the confidence of his holiness, in so eminent a manner, that he was entrusted with the direction of the papal army against France; and if he was not competent to conduct the military operations, he was of singular service in maintaining good order in the camp. He was taken prisoner at the bloody battle of Ravenna in 1512, and conveyed to Milan, where the dignity of his sacred office procured him respect. From this place he found means to escape, and returned to Bologna, assuming the government of the district in the capacity of the pope's legate.

At the election of a new pope in the room of Julius II. he was chosen to the pontificate, being then only 38 years of age. Whatever might be the leading motives of of the conclave for electing so young a pope, it is agreed on all hands, that it was not effected by those corrupt practices too common on such occasions; and he ascended the throne under the name of Leo X. with greater proofs of affection on the part of both Italians and foreigners than the greater part of his predecessors. He displayed his love of literature by the nomination of Bembo and Sadoleto to the office of papal secretaries.

One of his first attempts was to free Italy from the dominion of foreign powers; and having taken into pay a large body of Swiss, he gained a victory over the French in the reign of Louis XII. at the bloody battle of Novara, by which means they were driven from Italy; and the king of France having incurred ecclesiastical censure, submitted in form, and received absolution. Having thus secured internal tranquillity, he turned his attention to the encouragement of literature and men of genius. He effected the restoration of the Roman university to its former splendour by means of new grants and privileges, and by filling the professorships with distinguished characters from every quarter. A Greek press was established in the city, and all Europe was informed that persons bringing ancient manuscripts to the pope would be liberally rewarded, besides having them printed at the expense of the holy see. He also promoted the study of oriental literature, and he had the honour of founding the first professorship of the Syriac and Chaldaic languages at Bologna.

On the death of Louis XII. of France, and the accession of Francis I. to the throne, it soon became apparent that a new war was inevitable in the north of Italy. Leo endeavoured to remain neutral, but without success, in consequence of which he joined in a league with the emperor, the king of Arragon, the states of Milan and Florence, and the Swiss cantons, against the French king and the state of Venice. But he soon found it expedient to desert his allies, and form a union with Francis, which took place in 1515, at an interview between the two sovereigns.

In 1517, the duke of Urbino, whom he had expelled, in order to make way for his nephew Lorenzo, collected an army, and by rapid movements regained his capital and dominions, which chagrined Leo to such a degree, that he endeavoured to raise all the Christian princes against him. He raised an army under the command of his nephew, and the duke was finally compelled to relinquish his dominions upon honourable terms. In this year the life of Leo was in danger, and all his moments embittered by a conspiracy against him in his own court. Petrucci, the chief author of it, had formed a plan of destroying the pope by poison; but having failed in this attempt, he withdrew from Rome, still, however, carrying on a correspondence with his secretary. Some of his letters being intercepted, he was arrested on his way to Rome, and committed to prison. He was strangled, and his accomplices were put to death with the severest tortures. To shelter himself from danger, whether real or imaginary, Leo created 31 new cardinals in one day, chiefly from among his own relations, and some of them deserving of such dignity by their virtues and talents.

In the reign of this pontiff began the reformation of religion under the celebrated Martin Luther, who inflicted such a wound on the Romish church as will never be healed. Leo's taste for luxurious magnificence and every object of expense having exhausted his coffers, he took from the church the profits arising from the sale of indulgences for his own private emolument. These were extolled in language which shocked the pious and thinking part of mankind, and facilitated the progress of the reformation in the hands of such a man as Luther, whom nothing could intimidate. This great man during his opposition to the extravagance of Leo, in the sale of indulgences, was still willing to be reconciled; but as he insisted on making an unqualified appeal to the language of Scripture, and Leo would admit of nothing but an unqualified appeal to the decrees of the church, it is obvious that a reconciliation was impossible. The works of Luther were burnt in different places by Leo's command, and Luther in his turn made a solemn and public conflagration of the papal decrees and constitutions, and even of the bull itself. It was this pontiff who conferred on Henry VIII. of England the title of defender of the faith, to which he appears to have had very little claim.

The private hours of Leo, it is said, were devoted to indolence, or to amusements; and that some of them were unworthy of his clerical dignity. Many enormities are ascribed to him which we shall pass over in silence, as they do not appear to have such incontestable evidence as to warrant the belief of them. He never lost sight of his favourite idea of expelling the French from Italy. The Swiss who had been in the service of France were induced to desert, the allies crossed the Adda, and entered Milan without opposition. They next entered the territories of the duke of Ferrara who had espoused the cause of France. Many of his strong places were taken, and siege was about to be laid to his capital, when it was prevented by the indisposition of the pope, which in the space of eight days terminated in his death, on December 1, 1521, in the 46th year of his age, and the 9th of his pontificate. It was supposed by some that he died by poison, but we have seen no sufficient proof for such a conclusion. Without attempting to draw the moral and political character of this celebrated pontiff, about which mankind have been so much divided, it may be fairly asserted that he claims the gratitude of posterity for the ample encouragement which he afforded to men of science and literature, and the eagerness with which he promoted the study of the fine arts, qualities sufficient to veil all the failings or faults which can justly be charged to his account. This character of Leo has been finely celebrated by Pope in the following verses:

But see! each muse, in Leo's golden days, Starts from her trance; and trims her wither'd bays; Rome's ancient Genius, o'er its ruins spread, Shakes off the dust, and rears his rev'rend head. Then Sculpture and her sister Arts revive: Stones leap to form, and rocks begin to live; With sweeter notes each rising temple rung; A Raphael painted, and a Vida sung.

Leo, St., a small but strong town of Italy, in the territory territory of the church, and duchy of Urbino, with a bishop's fee. It is seated on a mountain, near the river Marrechia, in E. Long. 12. 25. N. Lat. 43. 57.