Niccolò Ardinghelli

Niccolò Ardinghelli was born in Florence in 1502, the son of a noble family.[1] As a young man, he studied Latin, Ancient Greek, and law.[1]

He began his career as a secretary to Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, iuniore.[1] He was a canon of Florence Cathedral.[1] In 1539, he became vicar of Marche.[1] He became a datary in 1540.[1] He was also a protonotary apostolic.[1]

On 13 July 1541 he was elected Bishop of Fossombrone.[1] He was despatched as nuncio to Francis I of France to encourage peace negotiations with Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and promote support for holding an ecumenical council.[1] He traveled in the accompany of Cardinal Farnese, who was papal legate to the Kingdom of France and the Kingdom of Spain.[1]

Pope Paul III made him a cardinal priest in the consistory of 19 December 1544.[1] He received the red hat and the titular church of Sant'Apollinare alle Terme Neroniane-Alessandrine.[1] In 1545 he became Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura.[1] He resigned the government of the Diocese of Fossombrone on 16 March 1547.[1]

He died in the Palazzo Baldassini on 23 August 1547.[1] He was buried in Santa Maria sopra Minerva.[1]

• Catholic Church in Italy