The death of Leo X. was the salvation of several princes who found themselves on the brink of ruin. In the course of a few days Francesco Maria was able to regain possession of Urbino. With his aid the Baglioni also returned to Perugia, and Sigismondo Varano to Camerino. The sorely-harassed Duke of Ferrara recovered the greater number of his cities in the Romagna; he had a medal engraved with the legend “De manu Leonis.” The Petrucci of Siena, the Orsini and Colonna were in motion. The French, too, hoped to retain their position in Lombardy.

Rome was temporarily ruled by three cardinals and the governor of the city, Vincenzo Caraffa, Archbishop of Naples. The Sacred College was reduced to desperate straits. “If,” wrote Castiglione at this time from Rome, “I tried to describe the utter destitution of this college, no one would believe me. Apart from the debts of the late pope, all the jewels, all the valuable Flemish tapestries, the mitres and tiaras, even the silver vessels, were pledged on his death.” Political circumstances made the new papal election difficult and momentous.