Michelangelo, born in the same year, was destined to survive him through more than eight lustres of the life of man.
Leo was a personality whom it is impossible to praise without reserve.
The Pope at that time in Italy had to perform three separate functions.

His first duty was to the Church.

Leo left the See of Rome worse off than he found it: financially bankrupt, compromised by vague schemes set on foot for the aggrandisement of his family, discredited by many shameless means for raising money upon spiritual securities.
His second duty was to Italy.

Leo left the peninsula so involved in a mesh of meaningless entanglements, diplomatic and aimless wars, that anarchy and violence proved to be the only exit from the situation.
His third duty was to that higher culture which Italy dispensed to Europe, and of which the Papacy had made itself the leading propagator.

Here Leo failed almost as conspicuously as in all else he attempted.