LEO X
1055
LEONARDO DA VINCi
dispute with Emperor Louis I about his sovereign jurisdiction at Rome, which was not settled at the time of Leo's death in 816. Leo X, Qio' van'ni del Me'dici, the second son of Lorenzo the Magnificent, was born at Florence in December, 1475. He was created cardinal at 13. In the expulsion of the Medici from Florence after the death of Lorenzo the young cardinal was included, and he used the occasion as an opportunity for foreign travel, visiting Germany, France and the Netherlands and everywhere seeking the society and acquaintance of the learned. On the death of Pope Julius II in 1513 Cardinal dei Medici was chosen as his successor, under the name of Leo X. His appointment of the two great scholars Bembo and Sadoleto as his secretaries was a pledge of the favor toward learning so characteristic of his pontificate; but he did not neglect the material and political interests of the church and Roman see. Leo's desire to raise money for rebuilding St. Peter's caused him to offer indulgences to all who would contribute for that purpose, and was the occasion of the Reformation in Germany. Leo at first regarded the affair as a mere squabble between Luther and Tetzel, and, although he condemned Luther's doctrines and course, his measures on the whole were not marked with great severity. Whatever may be thought of Leo's political movements, his private conduct was above reproach and above all imputation of immorality or irregularity. liis death on December, r j2i, has been attributed to poison; but ,here seems no sufficient reason for this suspicion. Leo XIII, was born March 2, 1810, and after filling high positions in the church was created a cardinal by Pius IX in 1853. In 1878 Cardinal P e c c i was chosen his successor as the representative of the moderates. He assumed the name of Leo . XIII, and at once • adopted an oppo-| site policy to i; that of his predecessor. He restored the hierarchy in Scotland, and so composed the conflict between Pius and Bismarck that, when a dispute arose between Germany and Spain as to the ownership of the Caroline Islands, he was requested by Bismarck to act as arbitrator. The pope also interested himself in the suppression of African slavery, and manifested enlightened and liberal views in
LEO XIII
other directions; but on all questions relating to the church and himself as its head he stood firmly by the ancient doctrines and_ his own rights as the vicegerent of Christ. He regarded himself as the despoiled sovereign of Rome and a prisoner at the Vatican; he refused the income voted to him by the Italian parliament; and in his encyclicals he affirmed that the only solution of all socialistic questions is to be found in the influence and authority of the papacy. In his foreign policy he generally exhibited wisdom and foresight. In 1883 he opened the archives of the Vatican for historical investigation, and he made himself personally known as a poet, his productions being chiefly written in Latin. He died, July 20, 1903.
Lepchares (le-ok'a-rez)> a distinguished Grecian sculptor of the Attic school, who flourished in the 4th century before Christ. He was one of the privileged artists who were permitted to make portraits of Alexander the Great. His Abduction of Ganymede by the Bird of Jove, of which there is a copy in the Vatican, was his masterpiece and has been justly and universally admired.
Leominster (lem'm-ster ), a town of Worcester County, Mass., on Nashua River, 40 miles from Boston. It manufactures piano-cases, pianofortes, combs, buttons, hairpins, jewelry, toys, yarn, cement and brick; and, besides, has paper mills and large cabinet works. It has an admirable school-system, a public library of more than 18,000 volumes, several churches and a park. Leominster is supplied with gas and electric light, has municipal ownership of its waterworks system, and is served by two railroads. It was settled in 1725, until 1740 was a part of Lancaster, and was then incorporated. Population 17,580.
Leon. See SPAIN.
Leon, the fifth city of Mexico, lies on the right bank of the Rio Torbio, 100 miles from the city of Mexico. The chief industry is tanning, but cotton and woolen goods are manufactured to some extent, and there is quite an extensive trade in wheat and other grains. Population 63,263.
Leonardo da Vinci (Id o-nar'do da venche), painter, sculptor, architect, engineer and scientist, was born in 1452 at Vinci, a village between Pisa and Florence. He was educated in his father's house, where he early showed signs of the bright and versatile genius that distinguished him through life. He was especially remarkable for aptitude for arithmetic and skill in music and drawing. About 1470 he was placed in the studio of Andrea del Verrocchio, where he had Perugino and Lorenzo di Credi as fel-low-pfupils. So rapid was his progress that he soon began to take part in the production of his master's pictures, and work of his cao be traced in Verrocchio's Baptis-.n (4
