Which Dutch-born future pope was Grand Inquisitor of Aragon in 1516?

The story behind the answer

Adrian of Utrecht was Grand Inquisitor of Aragon in 1516.

Born in Utrecht in 1459, Adrian became a prominent theologian and church administrator before entering the service of the future Emperor Charles V. He was appointed bishop of Tortosa and, in 1516, became the leading inquisitorial authority in Aragon, where the Inquisition had its own institutional structure separate from Castile.

Adrian later served as Grand Inquisitor during the reunification of the Castilian and Aragonese inquisitions. His administrative career accelerated when Charles became king of Spain and then emperor. In 1522, Adrian was elected pope and took the name Adrian VI.

He was the only pope from the Netherlands and the last non-Italian pope before John Paul II in 1978. The question’s wording can cause confusion because “Adrian of Utrecht” is his pre-papal name, while “Adrian VI” is the name by which he is remembered as pope.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

Add question to a list

Choose a list to keep this question in: