Niccolò Gaddi

Niccolò Gaddi was born in Florence in 1499, the son of Taddeo Gaddi and Antonia Altoviti.[1] He was a direct descendant of medieval painter Taddeo Gaddi.[1] He was the uncle of Cardinal Taddeo Gaddi and a relative of Catherine de' Medici.[1]

He began his career in Rome as a cleric in the Apostolic Camera. He then became an abbreviator of Apostolic Letters.[1]

On 16 October 1521 he was elected Bishop of Fermo.[1] He was never consecrated as a bishop and he resigned the administration of the see sometime before 5 December 1544.[1]

Pope Clement VII made him a cardinal deacon in the consistory of 3 May 1527.[1] He received the red hat and the deaconry of San Teodoro on the same day.[1]

During the Sack of Rome (1527), he was assigned as a hostage for Pope Clement VII.[1] Imperial troops held him prisoner in the fortress in Naples for a long time.[1]

He was the administrator of the metropolitan see of Cosenza from 31 January 1528 until 21 June 1535.[1] In 1533, he was named cardinal protector of the Kingdom of France.[1] He was administrator of the see of Sarlat from 12 December 1533 until 3 July 1545.[1]

He participated in the papal conclave of 1534 that elected Pope Paul III.[1] On 9 January 1545 he opted for the deaconry of Santi Vito, Modesto e Crescenzia.[1] He participated in the papal conclave of 1549-50 that elected Pope Julius III.[1] On 28 February 1550 he opted for the deaconry of Santa Maria in Domnica and on 27 June 1550 for the deaconry of Santa Maria in Via Lata.[1] At this time, he became cardinal protodeacon.[1] On 20 November 1551 he opted for the order of cardinal priests and his deaconry was raised pro illa vice to titulus.[1]

He died in Florence on 16 January 1552.[1] He is buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella.[1]