Raphael died in Rome on April 6, 1520, after a brief illness marked by high, continuous fever. Contemporary accounts suggest a rapid clinical course, lasting approximately 8–15 days, during which therapeutic bloodletting was performed and might have contributed to his clinical deterioration. Despite extensive historiography, no consensus has emerged regarding the cause of death, with hypotheses ranging from pneumonia and malaria to exhaustion or iatrogenic harm.
The Lancet Respiratory Medicine published a clinical update in Critical Care on 28 Jan 2026. The item focuses on Raphael's last fever. Open the detail page to review the full original feed content.