Pope Urban VII

Urban VII
Papacy began	15 September 1590
Papacy ended	27 September 1590
Predecessor	Pope Sixtus V
Successor	Pope Gregory XIV
Personal details
Birth name	Giovanni Battista Castagna
Born	(1521-08-04)4 August 1521 Rome
Died	27 September 1590(1590-09-27) (aged 69) Rome
Other popes named Urban

Pope Urban VII (Latin: Urbanus VII; 4 August 1521 – 27 September 1590), born Giovanni Battista Castagna, was an Italian priest of the Roman Catholic Church and the 229th Pope. He ruled for thirteen days in September 1590,^[1] and died before his consecration, from malaria. This makes him the shortest reigning Pope in the history of the Catholic Church.

Castagna was of Genoese origin, although born in Rome.^[2]

Castagna was ordained priest March 30, 1553.^[3]

Pope Julius III appointed him Archbishop of Rossano on March 1, 1553.^[3]

In 1584, Pope Gregory XIII made Castagna Cardinal of S. Marcello.^[3]

Cardinal Castagna was elected pope on 15 September 1590.^[3] He chose the name Urban, which in Latin signifies "kind".^[3]

Pope Urban died from Malaria on September 27, 1590.^[3]

• List of popes
• List of popes by length of reign

Media related to Urbanus VII at Wikimedia Commons

•  "Pope Urban VII" . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1913.
• Catholic Hierarchy, Pope Urban VII
• GCatholic, Pope Urban VII
• Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church Archived 2011-10-30 at the Wayback Machine, Cardinal Castagna Archived 2013-10-29 at the Wayback Machine