Pope Urban VII (August 4, 1521 – September 27, 1590), born Giovanni Battista Castagna, was Pope for thirteen days in September 1590. He was of Genoese origin, although born in Rome. He was chosen successor of Pope Sixtus V (1585–90) on September 15, 1590, but died of malaria (September 27, 1590) before consecration, making his the second* shortest papal reign in history, after Stephen II.

* Note that Stephen II is no longer considered a Pope in the Annuario Pontificio after its 1961 edition, though he is still considered legitimate in the Catholic Encyclopedia. So, considering the Annuario Pontificio's claim, Pope Urban VII would have had the shortest reign in history, but according to the Catholic Encyclopedia, his would be the second shortest reign in history.

He had previously served as governor of Bologna and as archbishop of Rossano, and was for many years nuncio to Spain; his election to the papacy was largely backed by the Spanish faction.

Urban VII's short passage in office gave way to the world's first known public smoking ban, as he threatened to excommunicate anyone who "took tobacco in the porchway of or inside a church, whether it be by chewing it, smoking it with a pipe or sniffing it in powdered form through the nose".

References

• The Death of the Popes by Wendy J. Reardon, 2004.

Popes | Diplomats of the Holy See | 1521 births | 1590 deaths | Natives of Rome

1521 births | 1590 deaths | Popes | Italian popes

Урбан VII (папа рымскі) | Urban VII. (Papst) | Urbanus VII | Urbano VII | Urbain VII | Urbano VII | 교황 우르바노 7세 | Urban VII. | Paus Urbanus VII | Papa Urbano VII | Paus Urbanus VII | ウルバヌス7世 (ローマ教皇) | Urban VII | Papa Urbano VII | Урбан VII (папа римский) | Papež Urban VII. | Urbanus VII | Urban VII | 烏爾巴諾七世