# Index of Forbidden Books (1559)

URL: https://christianity-history.com/timeline/1559-index-of-forbidden-books
Location: Rome
Themes: Papacy

Pope Paul IV issues the first Roman Index of prohibited books. At this point in the timeline (1559), the Bishop of Rome was Pope Paul IV (23 May 1555 – 18 August 1559).

## Why it matters
Index of Forbidden Books mattered because it shaped the authority, policy or public role of the papacy and the Catholic Church.

Pope at the time: [Pope Pius IV](https://christianity-history.com/popes/pope-pius-iv)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Index Librorum Prohibitorum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Index_Librorum_Prohibitorum)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Index of Forbidden Books](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Index+of+Forbidden+Books)
- [Wikipedia — Reformation (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reformation)