Propaganda e opinione pubblica: Giulio II nella comunicazione politica europea

The fame of Pope Julius II Della Rovere is inextricably tied to the effects of his patronage, but certainly also to his infamy as a «terrible» and «warrior» pope. Con-temporary opinion about Julius II inevitably hinges on the wars waged by him, rangingfrom glowing praise to ferocious criticism. This paper intends to illustrate how Julius’ wars were judged, celebrated, and criticized – and consequently the pope himself – in16th century political communication in Europe. Many traces of the discourses regardingthose wars can be found in the contemporary print media intended for broad distribu-tion: an editorial production often influenced by political power and seeking to achieve wide consensus, characterized by notably propagandistic overtones. This form of politicalcommunication was not exclusively meant for the cultural and governing elites, but fora «general public, popular by dimension and composition».