Giovanni Arcimboldi

Not to be confused with his grandson Giovanni Angelo Arcimboldi (1485–1555), Archbishop of Milan 1550–1555.

Bust of Cardinal Giovanni Arcimboldi in the Milan Cathedral

Coat of arms of Cardinal Giovanni Arcimboldi

Giovanni Arcimboldi († October 2, 1488 in Rome ) was an Italian bishop and cardinal .

Life

Giovanni Arcimboldi was born in Parma or Milan in 1421 or 1426 . He was the son of Nicolò Arcimboldo ( maestro delle Entrate Straordinarie (official for extraordinary taxes) of Filippo Maria Visconti ) and Orsina Canossa (from the family of Margravine Mathilde of Tuszien ).

After studying in Pavia , he received his doctorate in utroque iure ( civil and canon law ) in 1458 .

As a young man he married Briseide Pietrasanta and the couple had a daughter, Briseide Arcimboldi. He later fathered nine illegitimate children.

In July 1458, with the support of Francesco I. Sforza , he gained access to Milan's renowned Collegio di Giureconsulti . He later became a senator for the Duchy of Milan . Then Francesco I Sforza sent him as ambassador to the Holy See in Rome .

After the death of his wife, he turned to the church. In September 1461 he received the four minor orders , and in September 1466 he was ordained a subdeacon by the suffragan bishop of Milan . In October 1466, Pope Paul II appointed him Apostolic Protonotary . At that time he also became a canon of the cathedrals of Pavia and Piacenza .

On November 20, 1468 he was elected Bishop of Novara . He took possession of the diocese in May 1469, but was recalled a few days later by Galeazzo Maria Sforza to serve as ambassador to Pope Sixtus IV . He held this office from May 1472 to February 1473.

At the consistory of May 7, 1473 Sixtus IV elevated him to cardinal priest and assigned Arcimboldi on May 17 as the titular church Santi Nereo e Achilleo . On November 24th he went to Rome and received the cardinal's hat on December 10th . The Pope then appointed him Cardinal Prefect of the Apostolic Signature , an office he held until his death. On May 31, 1476, because of the absence of Cardinal Jacopo Piccolomini-Ammannati, he was temporarily elected treasurer of the Holy College of Cardinals . He decided on December 30, 1476 for the titular church Santa Prassede .

On January 15, 1477 Pope Sixtus IV appointed him legate a latere in Perugia . On February 7, 1477, his legation was expanded to include the Kingdom of Hungary , the Holy Roman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bohemia .

From May 19 to June 5, 1482 he served only temporarily again as chamberlain of the Holy College of Cardinals and then for the entire term of office, from January 15, 1483 to January 19, 1484. On November 15, 1483 Pope Sixtus IV appointed him second time to legate in Perugia.

After the death of Pope Sixtus IV, Arcimboldi took part in the conclave of 1484, which Pope Innocent VIII elected. In the consistory of September 23, 1484, Pope Innocent VIII confirmed Arcimboldi's appointment as legate for Perugia. He left for Perugia on October 11, 1484, and returned to Rome on January 15, 1485.

In the meantime, on October 25, 1484, he took over the Archdiocese of Milan . On November 12th he received the pallium and took possession of his archbishopric on January 1st, 1485 by means of a procurator (Antonio Griffi).

Giovanni Arcimboldi died in Rome on October 2, 1488 and was buried in Sant'Agostino in Campo Marzio .

literature

• Nicola Raponi:  Arcimboldi, Giovanni. In: Alberto M. Ghisalberti (Ed.): Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani (DBI). Volume 3:  Ammirato – Arcoleo. Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, Rome 1961.

Web links

• Arcimboldo, Giovanni (Toward the end of 1426–1488) =. In: Salvador Miranda : The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church. ( Florida International University website), accessed May 17, 2014.

predecessor	Office	successor
Ausiàs Despuig	Chamberlain of the Holy College of Cardinals 1483	Giovanni Battista Cibo
Stefano Nardini	Archbishop of Milan 1484–1488	Guido Antonio Arcimboldi
Stefano Nardini	Bishop of Novara 1468–1484	Guido Antonio Arcimboldi