Maffeo Barberini was an Italian cardinal and the 236th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, known as Pope Urban VIII. He was born on April 5, 1568, in Florence, Italy, and became pope in 1623. His papacy lasted until 1644 and was marked by significant political and cultural developments, including the Thirty Years' War. Urban VIII was a patron of the arts and played a crucial role in the Baroque movement, commissioning works from artists like Gian Lorenzo Bernini. He also initiated the construction of the famous St. Peter's Basilica dome, which remains an iconic symbol of Vatican City.