Antonio Maria Ciocchi del Monte San Savino (September 1461 - 20 September 1533) was an
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
bishop
A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
and
cardinal
Cardinal or The Cardinal most commonly refers to
* Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds
**''Cardinalis'', genus of three species in the family Cardinalidae
***Northern cardinal, ''Cardinalis cardinalis'', the common cardinal of ...
.
Early years, ca. 1462–1503
Antonio Maria Ciocchi del Monte San Savino was born in
Monte San Savino
Monte San Savino is a town and comune in the province of Arezzo, Tuscany (Italy). It is located on the Essa stream in the Valdichiana. Several of its frazioni occupy higher hills, like Gargonza at and Palazzuolo, at an elevation of .
History
M ...
sometime between late September 1461 and early September 1462.
He was the son of Fabiano Ciocchi del Monte (Monte San Savino, 1421 - 1498) and wife Jacopa, daughter of Gaspare, whose family name is not known.
His father dropped the surname "Ciocchi" taking "del Monte San Savino" as his surname (soon shortened to "del Monte").
Antonio Maria Ciocchi del Monte was the uncle of
Pope Julius III
Pope Julius III (; ; 10 September 1487 – 23 March 1555), born Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 22 February 1550 to his death, in March 1555.
After a career as a disting ...
.
As a young man, Ciocchi del Monte became a
doctor of both laws
A doctor of both laws, from the Latin , , or ("doctor of both laws") (abbreviations include: JUD, IUD, DUJ, JUDr., DUI, DJU, Dr.iur.utr., Dr.jur.utr., DIU, UJD and UID), is a scholar who has acquired a doctorate in both civil and church law ...
.
He then joined his older brother in
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
.
He was soon appointed a
consistorial advocate
Advocates of Roman congregations are canon lawyers of the Catholic Church who practice in the Roman Curia, pleading cases before ecclesiastical tribunals.
These advocates may be priests or laypeople, as long as they are qualified by their fami ...
by the
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia () comprises the administrative institutions of the Holy See and the central body through which the affairs of the Catholic Church are conducted. The Roman Curia is the institution of which the Roman Pontiff ordinarily makes use ...
.
His legal talents brought him to the attention of
Pope Innocent VIII
Pope Innocent VIII (; ; 1432 – 25 July 1492), born Giovanni Battista Cybo (or Cibo), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 29 August 1484 to his death, in July 1492. Son of the viceroy of Naples, Cybo spent his ea ...
, who considered him a valuable advisor.
Innocent VIII made him
archpriest
The ecclesiastical title of archpriest or archpresbyter belongs to certain priests with supervisory duties over a number of parishes. The term is most often used in Eastern Orthodoxy and the Eastern Catholic Churches and may be somewhat analogo ...
of
Sant'Angelo in Vado
Sant'Angelo in Vado is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of Pesaro and Urbino, in the Italy, Italian region of Marche.
Geography
The municipality is about west of Ancona and about southwest of Pesaro. The Metauro river flows through ...
, and, in 1492, archpriest of
Arezzo
Arezzo ( , ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in Italy and the capital of the Province of Arezzo, province of the same name located in Tuscany. Arezzo is about southeast of Florence at an elevation of Above mean sea level, above sea level. As of 2 ...
.
Ciocchi del Monte also found favor with
Pope Alexander VI
Pope Alexander VI (, , ; born Roderic Llançol i de Borja; epithet: ''Valentinus'' ("The Valencian"); – 18 August 1503) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 11 August 1492 until his death in 1503.
Born into t ...
.
On 27 March 1493 Alexander VI made him an
auditor
An auditor is a person or a firm appointed by a company to execute an audit.Practical Auditing, Kul Narsingh Shrestha, 2012, Nabin Prakashan, Nepal To act as an auditor, a person should be certified by the regulatory authority of accounting an ...
of the
Roman Rota
The Roman Rota, formally the Apostolic Tribunal of the Roman Rota (), and anciently the Apostolic Court of Audience, is the highest appellate tribunal of the Catholic Church, with respect to both Latin Church members and the Eastern Catholic m ...
.
In 1495, he was made
rector of Sant'Agnese in Arezzo, and in 1496,
provost
Provost may refer to:
Officials
Ecclesiastic
* Provost (religion), a high-ranking church official
* Prince-provost, a high-ranking church official
Government
* Provost (civil), an officer of local government, including the equivalent ...
of San Luciano near Monte San Savino.
After spending time attending to his pastoral duties, he was recalled to Rome in 1498 and placed in charge of the daily operations of the Roman Rota.
In July 1502, the pope put him in charge of all operations of the Roman Rota in the areas under the control of the pope's son,
Cesare Borgia
Cesare Borgia (13 September 1475 – 12 March 1507) was a Cardinal (Catholic Church)#Cardinal_deacons, cardinal deacon and later an Italians, Italian ''condottieri, condottiero''. He was the illegitimate son of Pope Alexander VI of the Aragonese ...
.
He set up a judicial seat in
Cesena
Cesena (; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy; and - with Forlì - is the capital of the Province of Forlì-Cesena. Served by Autostrada A14 (Italy), Autostrada A14, and located near the Apennine M ...
.
He was also made a
protonotary apostolic at this time.
In early 1503, Cesare Borgia elevated Ciocchi del Monte to the post of governor of
Romagna
Romagna () is an Italian historical region that approximately corresponds to the south-eastern portion of present-day Emilia-Romagna, in northern Italy.
Etymology
The name ''Romagna'' originates from the Latin name ''Romania'', which originally ...
.
Bishop, 1503–11
On 4 August 1503 he was elected
Bishop of Città di Castello
A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
.
He was unable to take possession of this see, however, because it was claimed by
Giulio Vitelli, backed by the force of arms of the powerful
Vitelli
The House of Vitelli, among other families so named, were a prominent noble family of Umbria, rulers of Città di Castello and lesser '' rocche''.
History
In spite of ambitious genealogies, there is no demonstrable connection with the ancient ...
family, even though Giulio Vitelli had been deprived of the office by Pope Alexander VI.
Pope Julius II
Pope Julius 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, the Battle Pope or the Fearsome ...
made Ciocchi del Monte governor of Cesena, and, on 26 July 1504, named him an auditor of the
Apostolic Camera
The Apostolic Camera (), formerly known as the was an office in the Roman Curia. It was the central board of finance in the papal administrative system and at one time was of great importance in the government of the States of the Church and ...
.
The pope also confirmed that the diocese of Città di Castello belonged to Ciocchi del Monte and in June 1505, threatened to place
Città di Castello
Città di Castello (); "Castle Town") is a city and ''comune'' in the province of Perugia, in the northern part of Umbria. It is situated on a slope of the Apennine Mountains, Apennines, on the flood plain along the upper part of the river Tiber. T ...
under
interdict
In Catholic canon law, an interdict () is an ecclesiastical censure, or ban that prohibits certain persons or groups from participating in particular rites, or that the rites and services of the church are prohibited in certain territories for ...
.
The city finally relented and Ciocchi del Monte took possession of the diocese in July 1505.
He was
consecrated
Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...
as a
bishop
A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
in
San Pietro in Vincoli
San Pietro in Vincoli (; Saint Peter in Chains) is a Roman Catholic titular church and minor basilica in Rome, Italy. The church is on the Oppian Hill near Cavour metro station, a short distance from the Colosseum. The name alludes to the Bibl ...
in Rome on 4 January 1506 by
Tito Veltri di Viterbo,
Bishop of Castro.
On 6 February 1506 he was promoted to the
metropolitan see of Manfredonia, occupying that office until 30 May 1511.
Cardinal, 1511–33
Pope Julius II made him a
cardinal priest
A cardinal is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. As titular members of the clergy of the Diocese of Rome, they serve as advisors to the pope, who is the bishop of Rome and the visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. Ca ...
in the
consistory
Consistory is the anglicized form of the consistorium, a council of the closest advisors of the Roman emperors. It can also refer to:
*A papal consistory, a formal meeting of the Sacred College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church
*Consistor ...
of 10 March 1511.
He received the
red hat
Red Hat, Inc. (formerly Red Hat Software, Inc.) is an American software company that provides open source software products to enterprises and is a subsidiary of IBM. Founded in 1993, Red Hat has its corporate headquarters in Raleigh, North ...
on 13 March 1511, and the
titular church
In the Catholic Church, a titular church () is a Churches in Rome, church in Rome that is assigned to a member of the Holy orders in the Catholic Church, clergy who is created a Cardinal (Catholic Church), cardinal. These are Catholic churches in ...
of
San Vitale on 17 March 1511.
A short time later, he became the
cardinal protector of the
Servite Order
The Servite Order, officially known as the Order of Servants of Mary (; abbreviation: OSM), is one of the five original mendicant orders in the Roman Catholic Church. It includes several branches of friars (priests and brothers), contemplative nu ...
.
From 30 May 1511 to 13 March 1521 he was the administrator of the
see of Pavia.
In 1511, the pope placed Cardinal Ciocchi del Monte in charge of dealing with the four cardinals who had joined in the proposal of
Louis XII of France
Louis XII (27 June 14621 January 1515), also known as Louis of Orléans was King of France from 1498 to 1515 and King of Naples (as Louis III) from 1501 to 1504. The son of Charles, Duke of Orléans, and Marie of Cleves, he succeeded his second ...
to hold a schismatic council at
Pisa
Pisa ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Tuscany, Central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for the Leaning Tow ...
.
In this capacity, he was crucial in convincing Pope Julius II to call the
Fifth Council of the Lateran
The Fifth Council of the Lateran, held between 1512 and 1517, was the eighteenth ecumenical council of the Catholic Church and was the last council before the Protestant Reformation and the Council of Trent. This was the first time since 1213 t ...
and played a large role in organizing that council.
He was made a member of the council's commission for the reform of the
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia () comprises the administrative institutions of the Holy See and the central body through which the affairs of the Catholic Church are conducted. The Roman Curia is the institution of which the Roman Pontiff ordinarily makes use ...
and its officials on 3 June 1513.
He participated in the
papal conclave of 1513 that elected
Pope Leo X
Pope Leo X (; born Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici, 11 December 14751 December 1521) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 March 1513 to his death in December 1521.
Born into the prominent political and banking Med ...
.
The new pope sent him to
Umbria
Umbria ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region of central Italy. It includes Lake Trasimeno and Cascata delle Marmore, Marmore Falls, and is crossed by the Tiber. It is the only landlocked region on the Italian Peninsula, Apennine Peninsula. The re ...
to restore order following the chaos brought about by Louis XII's invasion of that province.
The cardinal opted for the titular church of
Santa Prassede
The Basilica of Saint Praxedes (, ), commonly known in Italian as Santa Prassede, is an early medieval titulus (Roman Catholic), titular church and minor basilica located near the papal basilica of Saint Mary Major, on Via di Santa Prassede, Mont ...
on 14 July 1514.
He served as
Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals
The Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals was the treasurer of the College of Cardinals in the Catholic Church. The title is based on an Italian word for chamberlain, a word no longer used in secular contexts. The position existed from a ...
from 1516 to 1517.
He was also administrator of the
see of Novara from 19 April 1516 until 20 December 1525.
In spring 1517, several cardinals participated in a conspiracy to assassinate Pope Leo X.
The pope placed Cardinal Ciocchi del Monte in charge of pursuing the case against the ringleaders of the conspiracy, Cardinals
Alfonso Petrucci
Alfonso Petrucci (c. 1491 – July 16, 1517) was an Italian people, Italian nobleman, born to the Petrucci Family. He was the son of Pandolfo Petrucci. In 1511, he was made a cardinal, which gave the Petrucci dynasty some influence within the chur ...
and
Bandinello Sauli
Bandinello Sauli (c. 1481 – 28 March 1518) was an Italian Roman Catholic bishop and cardinal.
Biography
Bandinello Sauli was born in Genoa, ca. 1481, the son of nobles Pasquale Sauli and Mariola Giustiniani Longhi. .Hyde, Cardinal Bendin ...
.
He successfully secured their convictions and those two cardinals were executed.
Cardinal Ciocchi del Monte opted for the order of
cardinal bishop
A cardinal is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. As titular members of the clergy of the Diocese of Rome, they serve as advisors to the pope, who is the bishop of Rome and the visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. C ...
s on 24 July 1521, receiving the
Suburbicarian Diocese of Albano.
He participated in the
papal conclave of 1521–22 that elected
Pope Adrian VI
Pope Adrian VI (; ; ; ), born Adriaan Florensz Boeyens (2 March 1459 – 14 September 1523), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 January 1522 until his death on 14 September 1523. The only Dutch people, Du ...
.
In February 1523, the new pope placed him in charge of a commission in charge of reducing expenditures by reducing curial offices created by Leo X.
In the consistory of 23 July 1523 Cardinal Ciocchi del Monte opposed the creation of a defensive league with
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain (as Charles I) from 1516 to 1556, and Lord of the Netherlands as titular Duke of Burgundy (as Charles II) ...
, fearing it would strain relations with
Francis I of France
Francis I (; ; 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 once removed and father-in-law Louis&nbs ...
.
He participated in the
papal conclave of 1523 that elected
Pope Clement VII
Pope Clement VII (; ; born Giulio di Giuliano de' Medici; 26 May 1478 – 25 September 1534) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 November 1523 to his death on 25 September 1534. Deemed "the most unfortunate o ...
.
The new pope named him cardinal protector of the
Oratory of Divine Love
The Oratory of Divine Love was an Italian Catholic ecclesiastical reform movement that originated in Genoa at the end of the 15th century. The notary, Ettore Vernazza (father of the mystic nun, Battistina Vernazza), played a key role in its format ...
, the predecessor of the
Theatines
The Theatines, officially named the Congregation of Clerics Regular (; abbreviated CR), is a Catholic order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men founded by Archbishop Gian Pietro Carafa on 14 September 1524.
Foundation
The order wa ...
; he filled this role until 1529.
On 9 December 1523 he opted for the
Suburbicarian Diocese of Frascati
The Diocese of Frascati (Lat.: ''Tusculana'') is a Latin suburbicarian see of the Diocese of Rome and a diocese of the Catholic Church in Italy, based at Frascati, near Rome. The bishop of Frascati is a Cardinal Bishop; from the Latin name of the ...
, on 18 December 1523 for the
Suburbicarian Diocese of Palestrina
The Suburbicarian Diocese of Palestrina () is a Latin Church, Latin suburbicarian diocese centered on the comune of Palestrina in Italy.
The current bishop of Palestrina is :it:Mauro_Parmeggiani, Mauro Parmeggiani, who was appointed by Pope Fran ...
, on 20 May 1524 for the
Suburbicarian Diocese of Sabina and on 14 June 1524 for the
Suburbicarian Diocese of Porto-Santa Rufina.
He also became Vice-
Dean of the College of Cardinals
The dean of the College of Cardinals () presides over the College of Cardinals in the Catholic Church, serving as ('first among equals'). The position was established in the 12th century. He always holds the rank of a cardinal bishop and is as ...
at this time.
In 1526, Pope Clement VII concluded the treaty forming the
League of Cognac
The War of the League of Cognac (1526–1530) was fought between the Habsburg dominions of Charles V—primarily the Holy Roman Empire and Spain—and the League of Cognac, an alliance including the Kingdom of France, Pope Clement VII, the R ...
, allying the
Papal States
The Papal States ( ; ; ), officially the State of the Church, were a conglomeration of territories on the Italian peninsula under the direct sovereign rule of the pope from 756 to 1870. They were among the major states of Italy from the 8th c ...
with the
Kingdom of France
The Kingdom of France is the historiographical name or umbrella term given to various political entities of France in the Middle Ages, medieval and Early modern France, early modern period. It was one of the most powerful states in Europe from th ...
, the
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice, officially the Most Serene Republic of Venice and traditionally known as La Serenissima, was a sovereign state and Maritime republics, maritime republic with its capital in Venice. Founded, according to tradition, in 697 ...
, and the
House of Sforza
The House of Sforza () was a ruling family of Renaissance Italy, based in Milan. Sforza rule began with the family's acquisition of the Duchy of Milan following the extinction of the Visconti family in the mid-15th century and ended with the d ...
against Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.
On 22 May 1526 Cardinal Ciocchi del Monte was one of the leading commissioners responsible for preparing the Papal States for the
War of the League of Cognac
The War of the League of Cognac (1526–1530) was fought between the Habsburg dominions of Charles V—primarily the Holy Roman Empire and Spain—and the League of Cognac, an alliance including the Kingdom of France, Pope Clement VII, the Re ...
.
His efforts, however, were totally inadequate to prevent the
Sack of Rome (1527)
The Sack of Rome, then part of the Papal States, followed the capture of Rome on 6 May 1527 by the mutiny, mutinous troops of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, during the War of the League of Cognac. Charles V only intended to threaten military ...
.
He was one of the small number of cardinals who remained loyal to the pope, seeking refuge with him in the
Castel Sant'Angelo
Castel Sant'Angelo ( ), also known as Mausoleum of Hadrian (), is a towering rotunda (cylindrical building) in Parco Adriano, Rome, Italy. It was initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. ...
.
On 5 June 1527 he was one of the seven cardinals who signed the capitulation to the imperial forces and his nephew, Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte (the future
Pope Julius III
Pope Julius III (; ; 10 September 1487 – 23 March 1555), born Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 22 February 1550 to his death, in March 1555.
After a career as a disting ...
) was taken hostage by imperial forces.
From 1528, he was one of the leading cardinals responsible for dealing with
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...
's attempts to secure a divorce from
Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon (also spelt as Katherine,
historical Spanish: , now: ; 16 December 1485 – 7 January 1536) was List of English royal consorts, Queen of England as the Wives of Henry VIII, first wife of King Henry VIII from their marr ...
.
The cardinal supported King Henry's attempts to secure a divorce, and was friendly with the English embassy; he was, however, unable to convince the pope to grant the request for a divorce.
From February to July 1530 he was administrator of the
see of Alatri.
When Charles V wrote to the pope and the
College of Cardinals
The College of Cardinals (), also called the Sacred College of Cardinals, is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church. there are cardinals, of whom are eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope. Appointed by the pope, ...
in 1530 requesting a
general council to resolve the question of the rise of
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...
in Germany, Cardinal Ciocchi del Monte rushed back to Rome and voiced his support for the proposal.
No council was forthcoming, however.
When the pope traveled to
Marseille
Marseille (; ; see #Name, below) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Bouches-du-Rhône and of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region. Situated in the ...
in September 1533 to attend the marriage of
Henry II, Duke of Orléans and
Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici (, ; , ; 13 April 1519 – 5 January 1589) was an Italian Republic of Florence, Florentine noblewoman of the Medici family and Queen of France from 1547 to 1559 by marriage to Henry II of France, King Henry II. Sh ...
, he left Cardinal Ciocchi del Monte in charge of Rome as papal legate.
The pope agreed to the cardinal's request to allow his nephew Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte to assist in the discharge of these duties.
He died in Rome on 20 September 1533.
He was buried in
San Pietro in Montorio
San Pietro in Montorio (English: "Saint Peter on the Golden Mountain") is a church in Rome, Italy, which includes in its courtyard the ''Tempietto'', a small commemorative ''martyrium'' ('martyry') built by Donato Bramante.
History
The Church o ...
.
When his nephew became pope, he commissioned
Giorgio Vasari
Giorgio Vasari (30 July 1511 – 27 June 1574) was an Italian Renaissance painter, architect, art historian, and biographer who is best known for his work ''Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects'', considered the ideol ...
and
Bartolomeo Ammannati
Bartolomeo Ammannati (18 June 1511 – 13 April 1592) was an Italian architect and sculptor, born at Settignano, near Florence, Italy. He studied under Baccio Bandinelli and Jacopo Sansovino (assisting on the design of the Library of St. Mark ...
to work on the cardinal's tomb.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ciocchi del Monte, Antonio Maria
1533 deaths
16th-century Italian cardinals
Year of birth unknown
Antonio Maria
Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is a common name among Romance language–speaking populations as well as the Balkans and Lusophone Africa. It has been among the top 400 most popular ...
16th-century Italian Roman Catholic archbishops
People from Monte San Savino
People of the War of the League of Cognac
Bishops appointed by Pope Clement VII
Bishops appointed by Pope Adrian VI
Bishops appointed by Pope Leo X
Bishops appointed by Pope Julius II
Bishops appointed by Pope Alexander VI
Cardinal-bishops of Porto
Cardinal-bishops of Sabina
Cardinal-bishops of Palestrina
Cardinal-bishops of Frascati
Cardinal-bishops of Albano
Bishops of Caiazzo
Bishops of Rimini
Bishops of Pavia
Bishops of Novara
Diplomats for the Holy See
Burials at San Pietro in Montorio