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EncyclopediaInnocent VIIIInnocent VIII, 1432–92, pope (1484–92), a Genoese named Giovanni Battista Cibo; successor of Sixtus IV. He was made a cardinal in 1473. His close friend, Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere (later Pope Julius II), largely directed the papal affairs. Like his predecessors, Innocent wished to stop the Turkish advance, but he succeeded by means other than the crusade he originally planned. Djem, brother and rival of Sultan Beyazid II, was being held captive by Pierre d'Aubusson; the pope saw that if he held over the sultan the threat of supporting Djem's pretensions, Beyazid would come to terms. Beyazid (1490) agreed to leave Europe at peace if the pope kept Djem captive. Innocent VIII was known as a nepotist and was attacked by Savonarola for his worldliness. He was succeeded by Alexander VI. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. More on Innocent VIII from Infoplease:
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