Giovanni Battista Mellini

Giovanni Battista Mellini was born in Rome on 9 June 1405, the son of a noble family.[1] He received funds from Pope Martin V to study law.[1]

When he was seven years old, Antipope John XXIII made him a canon of the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran.[1] He resigned this canonry during the pontificate of Pope Nicholas V, who made him economous of St. Peter's Basilica.[1] He served as Abbreviatore de parco maggiore under Pope Eugene IV; as corrector of papal letters under Pope Pius II; and as papal datary under Pope Paul II.[1]

On 27 April 1468 he was elected Bishop of Urbino.[1] He subsequently held this see until his death.[1]

In the consistory of 16 December 1476, Pope Sixtus IV made him a cardinal priest.[1] He received the red hat and the titular church of Santi Nereo e Achilleo on 30 December 1476.[1]

On 1 January 1477 the pope named him papal legate in the Duchy of Milan and Lombardy, with full powers to keep following the 26 December 1476 death of Galeazzo Maria Sforza.[1] Cardinal Mellini left for this legation on 27 January 1477 and returned to Rome on 9 May.[1]

He died in Rome on 24 July 1478.[1] He was buried in St Peter's Basilica but his tomb was later transferred to the Mellini family chapel in Santa Maria del Popolo.[1]