Paul IV (1476-1559) was elected pope in 1555. He reflected the most repressive tendencies of the church renewal movement called the Counter Reformation. Paul was harsh and intolerant and rejected any reconciliation with Protestantism during the Reformation. He denounced the religious settlement of the Peace of Augsburg (1555) for recognizing Lutheranism in Germany. Paul viewed any deviation from rigid orthodoxy with suspicion. He greatly extended the activities of the Inquisition , and the first Index of Forbidden Books was given official status in 1557. In 1555, Paul decreed that Jews in the Papal States , the area around Rome governed by the Roman Catholic Church, had to live in separate quarters.
Paul was born on June 28, 1476, near Benevento, Italy. His given and family name was Gian Pietro Carafa. He was personally ascetic and in 1524 he helped found the Theatines, a monastic order dedicated to a life of poverty and to church reform. Paul became a cardinal in 1536 and led the church reform party in Rome. Beginning in 1550, he headed the Roman Inquisition, gaining a reputation for unyielding severity. He died on Aug. 18, 1559.
