Niccolò Caetani

Niccolò Caetani di Sermoneta (1526–1585) was an Italian Roman Catholic cardinal and bishop.

His Eminence Niccolò Caetani di Sermoneta
Cardinal-Deacon of Sant’Eustachio Archbishop of Capua
The tomb in Loreto
Church	Catholic Church
Personal details
Born	23 Feb 1526 Rome, Italy
Died	1 May 1585 (age 59)

Biography

Niccolò Caetani was born in Rome on February 23, 1526, the son of Camillo Caetani, 3rd duke of Sermoneta, a cousin of Pope Paul III, and his second wife, Flaminia Savelli.[1][2] His families were patricians from Naples.[1] He was the uncle of Cardinal Enrico Caetani.[1]

At the age of 10, Pope Paul III made him a cardinal deacon in pectore in the consistory of December 22, 1536.[1] On March 5, 1537, he became administrator of the Diocese of Bisignano.[1] His elevation to the cardinalate was published in the consistory of March 13, 1538; he received the red hat and the deaconry of San Nicola in Carcere on April 16, 1538.[1]

On August 8, 1539, he was elected Bishop of Conza.[1] He was promoted to the metropolitan see of Capua on May 5, 1546.[1] He resigned the administration of Bisignano on March 13, 1549.[1]

He participated in the papal conclave of 1549-50 that elected Pope Julius III.[1]

He became administrator of the see of Quimper on July 14, 1550.[1] On March 9, 1552, he opted for the deaconry of Sant'Eustachio.[1]

He participated in both the papal conclave of April 1555 that elected Pope Marcellus II and the papal conclave of May 1555 that elected Pope Paul IV.[1] He later participated in the papal conclave of 1559 that elected Pope Pius IV.[1]

On January 7, 1560, he was named governor of Cesi, Terni.[1] He resigned the administration of Quimper on April 5, 1560.[1] He participated in the papal conclave of 1565-66 that elected Pope Pius V.[1] In 1570, he became cardinal protector of the Kingdom of Scotland.[1] He participated in the papal conclave of 1572 that elected Pope Gregory XIII.[1]

On January 6, 1577 to January 8, 1578 he was the Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals.[1]

He participated in the papal conclave of 1585 that elected Pope Sixtus V.[1] He died on the day of the papal coronation, May 1, 1585.[1] His body was transferred to Loreto and he is buried there in the Basilica della Santa Casa.[1]

Episcopal succession

While bishop, he was the principal consecrator of:[2]

• Giulio della Rovere, Archbishop of Ravenna (1566);
• Giovanni Francesco Gàmbara, Bishop of Viterbo e Tuscania (1566);
• Iñigo Avalos de Aragón, Bishop of Mileto (1566); and
• Guglielmo Sirleto, Bishop of San Marco (1566).

See also

• Catholic Church in Italy

References

1. Miranda, Salvador. "CAETANI, Niccolò (1526-1585)". The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church. Florida International University. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
2. Cheney, David M. "Niccolò Cardinal Caetani di Sermoneta". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Retrieved June 16, 2018. ^{[self-published]}

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Fabio Arcella	Administrator of Bisignano 1537–1549	Succeeded by Domenico Somma
Preceded by Rodrigo Luis de Borja y de Castro-Pinós	Cardinal-Deacon of San Nicola in Carcere 1538–1552	Succeeded by Giacomo Savelli
Preceded by Troiano Gesualdo	Archbishop of Conza 1539–1546	Succeeded by Marcello Crescenzi
Preceded by Tommaso Caracciolo	Archbishop of Capua (1st appointment) 1546–1549	Succeeded by Fabio Arcella
Preceded by Philippe de La Chambre	Administrator of Quimper 1550–1560	Succeeded by Etienne Bouchier
Preceded by Guido Ascanio Sforza di Santa Fiora	Cardinal-Deacon of Sant'Eustachio 1552–1585	Succeeded by Ferdinando de' Medici
Preceded by Fabio Arcella	Archbishop of Capua (2nd appointment) 1564–1585	Succeeded by Cesare Costa