[fahr-ne-ze] 
| A⋅les⋅san⋅dro [ah-les-sahn-draw] , Duke of Parma, 1545–92, Italian general, statesman, and diplomat. |
(Alessandro Farnese ) 1468–1549, Italian ecclesiastic: pope 1534–49. |
| alessandro farnese | |
noun | |
| Italian pope from 1534 to 1549 who excommunicated Henry VIII of England in 1538 and initiated the Council of Trent in 1545; was active in the Counter Reformation and promoted the Society of Jesus for this purpose (1468-1549) [syn: Paul III] |