But he was severe to himself, an ascetic nicknamed for his monkish narrowness "Friar Wooden-shoe" by the Roman populace.

He ruthlessly reformed the Italian clergy, meting out terrible punishments to all sinners.

Under his leadership Catholicism took the offensive in earnest and accomplished much.

His zeal won him the name of saint, for he was the last of the Roman pontiffs to be canonized.
But the reign of sainthood coupled with absolutism is apt to grow irksome, and it was with relief that the Romans hailed the election of Hugo Buoncompagno as Gregory XIII.

[Sidenote: Gregory XIII, 1572-85] He did little but follow out, somewhat weakly, the paths indicated by his predecessors.