Federigo Fregoso (c. 1480,

Genoa Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian census, the Province of ...

– 22 July 1541), was an Italian nobleman, prelate and general.

Early life and family

Fregoso was born to the

Fregoso The House of Fregoso or di Campofregoso was a noble family of the Republic of Genoa and Liguria in general, divided into numerous branches, whose members distinguished themselves on numerous historical occasions; many of them held the position of ...

family, a family who in the late fourteenth century gave two

Doges of Genoa The Doge of Genoa ( lij, Dûxe, ; la, Januensium dux et populi defensor, "Commander of the Genoese and Defender of the People") was the ruler of the Republic of Genoa, a city-state and soon afterwards a maritime republic, from 1339 until the s ...

to the

Republic of Genoa The Republic of Genoa ( lij, Repúbrica de Zêna ; it, Repubblica di Genova; la, Res Publica Ianuensis) was a medieval and early modern maritime republic from the 11th century to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast. During the La ...

. Federigo was the son of Agostino Fregoso, governor of Genoa in 1488 for

Ludovico il Moro Ludovico Maria Sforza (; 27 July 1452 – 27 May 1508), also known as Ludovico il Moro (; "the Moor"). "Arbiter of Italy", according to the expression used by Guicciardini,

, and of Gentilla de Montefeltro, niece of Guidobaldo, Duke of Urbino. His brother,

Ottaviano Fregoso Ottaviano Fregoso (born in Genoa, 1470 - died in Ischia, 1524) was the Doge of the Republic of Genoa. Biography Ottaviano Fregoso, was the son of Agostino Fregoso and Gentile di Montefeltro, daughter of the renowned '' condottiero'', patron of ...

, was

Doge of Genoa The Doge of Genoa ( lij, Dûxe, ; la, Januensium dux et populi defensor, "Commander of the Genoese and Defender of the People") was the ruler of the Republic of Genoa, a city-state and soon afterwards a maritime republic, from 1339 until the s ...

. Fregoso spent his youth at the court of his uncle, the

Duke of Urbino The Duchy of Urbino was an independent duchy in early modern central Italy, corresponding to the northern half of the modern region of Marche. It was directly annexed by the Papal States in 1625. It was bordered by the Adriatic Sea in the east ...

, and after taking Catholic orders, received in 1507 from

Pope Julius II Pope Julius II ( la, Iulius II; it, Giulio II; born Giuliano della Rovere; 5 December 144321 February 1513) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1503 to his death in February 1513. Nicknamed the Warrior Pope or th ...

the Archbishopric of Salerno. Ferdinand II of Aragon having refused to recognize him because of his sympathies with France, the Pope promised him the See of

Gubbio Gubbio () is an Italian town and ''comune'' in the far northeastern part of the Italian province of Perugia (Umbria). It is located on the lowest slope of Mt. Ingino, a small mountain of the Apennines. History The city's origins are very ancient. ...

. At the court of Urbino, Federigo had received a good classical education, and had allied himself with such humanists as Pietro Bembo and

Baldassarre Castiglione Baldassare Castiglione, Count of Casatico (; 6 December 1478 – 2 February 1529),Dates of birth and death, and cause of the latter, fro, ''Italica'', Rai International online. was an Italian courtier, diplomat, soldier and a prominent Renaissanc ...

Military career

In 1510, after the troubles in Genoa and the victory of the

Adorno family The Adorno family was a noble family of the Republic of Genoa, with the branches of Botta in Milan, several of whom were Doges of the republic. The family is considered one of the most influential in the history of the republic. The elder branc ...

, he was exiled and compelled to seek refuge in Rome. Three years later, the Fregosi family returned to Genoa, Ottaviano became Doge, and after having become his chief counsellor, Fregoso was placed at the head of the army, and defended the Genoan republic against such internal dangers as the revolts of the Adorni and the

Fieschi The Fieschi were a noble merchant family from Genoa, Italy, from whom descend the Fieschi Ravaschieri Princes of Belmonte. Of ancient origin, they took their name from the progenitor ''Ugo Fliscus'', descendants of the counts of Lavagna. The fam ...

) as well as suppressing the Barbary piracy. The corsair

Kurtoğlu Muslihiddin Reis Kurtoğlu Muslihiddin Reis (1487 – c. 1535) was the admiral of the Ottoman Empire, as well as the Sanjak Bey (Provincial Governor) of Rhodes. He played an important role in the Ottoman conquests of Egypt (1517) and Rhodes (1522) during which he ...

blockaded the coast with a squadron, and within a few days had captured eighteen merchantmen. Being given the command of the Genoese fleet, in which

Andrea Doria Andrea Doria, Prince of Melfi (; lij, Drîa Döia ; 30 November 146625 November 1560) was a Genoese statesman, ', and admiral, who played a key role in the Republic of Genoa during his lifetime. As the ruler of Genoa, Doria reformed the Re ...

was serving, Fregoso surprised Kurtoğlu before Bizerta, landed on the island of

Djerba Djerba (; ar, جربة, Jirba, ; it, Meninge, Girba), also transliterated as Jerba or Jarbah, is a Tunisian island and the largest island of North Africa at , in the Gulf of Gabès, off the coast of Tunisia. It had a population of 139,544 ...

and returned to Genoa with treasure. The Fregosi family had recognized

Francis I of France Francis I (french: François Ier; frm, Francoys; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin on ...

, as Lord of Genoa. In 1522,

Charles V Charles V may refer to: * Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558) * Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain * Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise * Charles V, Duke of Lorraine (1643–1690) * Infa ...

besieged the city. Federigo Fregoso directed the defence and was wounded. The Spanish took Genoa by assault, and Fregoso was compelled to seek safety on a French vessel. Francis I accorded him a warm reception and gave him the Abbey of St. Benignus at

Dijon Dijon (, , ) (dated) * it, Digione * la, Diviō or * lmo, Digion is the prefecture of the Côte-d'Or department and of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in northeastern France. the commune had a population of 156,920. The earlies ...

. Here he studied Greek and Hebrew, but after quarrels with the monks, who could not endure his severity, he returned to Italy.

Elevation in Catholic hierarchy

In 1529 he resigned the See of Salerno and was named titular

Bishop of Gubbio The Italian Catholic Diocese of Gubbio ( la, Dioecesis Eugubina) is in the province of Perugia, in Umbria, central Italy.

. In 1539 Pope Paul III made him a

cardinal-priest A cardinal ( la, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalis, literally 'cardinal of the Holy Roman Church') is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. Cardinals are created by the ruling pope and typically hold the title for life. Col ...

. He died at

, in 1541. He wrote several edifying works, and some of his letters are in the collections of Pietro Bembo and Baldassare Castiglione.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Fregoso, Federigo 1480s births 1541 deaths 15th-century Genoese people 16th-century Genoese people 15th-century Italian nobility 16th-century Italian nobility 16th-century Italian cardinals 16th-century Italian Roman Catholic archbishops Archbishops of Salerno Nobility from Genoa House of Campofregoso Italian exiles Italian expatriates in France Generals of former Italian states es:Federigo Fregoso#top