# Pope Julius II — The Prince character guide

> Pope Julius II in The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Pope Julius, Pope Julius the Second, Julian, Julius, Julius II

**First appearance:** 0009-iii-concerning-mixed-principalities

## Who they are

The impetuous warrior-pope who marched at the head of his own armies, and whose boldness Machiavelli cites as proof that fortune favors the rash over the cautious.

## In the story

### [Office](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_se/chapters/office)

Machiavelli was sent to Rome for his election and later to him during the Bologna campaign; noted for his impetuous character.

### [VII: Concerning New Principalities Which Are Acquired Either by the Arms of Others or by Good Fortune](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_se/chapters/vii-concerning-new-principalities-which-are-acquired-either-by-the-arms-of-others-or-by-good-fortune)

Election as pope was a critical error by Borgia, leading to his ultimate ruin.

### [XI: Concerning Ecclesiastical Principalities](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_se/chapters/xi-concerning-ecclesiastical-principalities)

Found the Church strong, reduced the Roman barons, accumulated money, and drove the French out of Italy, strengthening the Church.

### [XIII: Concerning Auxiliaries, Mixed Soldiery, and One’s Own](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_se/chapters/xiii-concerning-auxiliaries-mixed-soldiery-and-one-s-own)

Used auxiliaries from Ferdinand of Spain in the Ferrara campaign; narrowly escaped disaster due to fortune.

### [XVI: Concerning Liberality and Meanness](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_se/chapters/xvi-concerning-liberality-and-meanness)

Cited as an example of a prince who gained the papacy through a reputation for liberality but later maintained his wars without extra taxes due to prior thriftiness.

### [XXV: What Fortune Can Effect in Human Affairs and How to Withstand Her](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_se/chapters/xxv-what-fortune-can-effect-in-human-affairs-and-how-to-withstand-her)

Exemplar of impetuous action that succeeded due to alignment with the times.

### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_se/chapters/endnotes)

Giuliano della Rovere, Cardinal of San Pietro ad Vincula, born 1443, died 1513.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_se/characters/julius_ii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_se/characters