Gianpaolo Della Chiesa
Gianpaolo Della Chiesa (1521–1575) was an Italian Roman Catholic bishop and cardinal.
Biography
Gianpaolo Della Chiesa was born in Tortona in 1521.[1] He was a relative of Pope Pius V.[1] He was educated at the University of Padua and the University of Pavia, becoming a doctor of both laws.[1]
He then moved to Milan to practice law.[1] There, he gained a reputation as a renowned lawyer.[1] He later traveled to Spain, where he defended Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, 3rd Duke of Terranova in his trial before Philip II of Spain.[1] The king was so impressed with Della Chiesa that he made him a senator of Milan and governor of Pavia for two years.[1]
After the death of his wife, he was sent to Rome by the Senate of Milan to attempt to settle its dispute with Cardinal Charles Borromeo.[1] He gained the appreciation of the pope who made him commendatory abbot of S. Pietro di Mulegio.[1] He also became a Referendary of the Apostolic Signatura.[1]
When Pope Pius V became pope, he initially offered to make Serafino Della Chiesa (Gianpaolo Della Chiesa's uncle and a member of the Canons Regular of the Lateran) his cardinal-nephew, but Serafino refused so Gianpaolo was promoted in his stead.[1] He became a cardinal deacon in the consistory of March 24, 1568.[1] He received the red hat and the deaconry of San Callisto on April 5, 1568.[1]
On May 3, 1568, he was appointed Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, a post he held until his death.[1] He was one of six cardinals appointed by the pope to investigate the case of Cardinal Innocenzo Ciocchi Del Monte.[1] He opted for the order of cardinal priests on May 10, 1570 and for the titular church of San Pancrazio on May 14, 1570.[1] He also served as a member of the Congregation for the League against the Turks and the Congregation of the Census.[1]
He participated in the papal conclave of 1572 that elected Pope Gregory XIII.[1]
He died in Rome on January 11, 1575 and was buried in his titular church.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 Entry from Biographical Dictionary of the Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church