Ardicino della Porta, iuniore

Ardicino della Porta the Younger (It.: Ardicino della Porta, iuniore) (1434–1493) (called the Cardinal of Aléria) was an Italian Roman Catholic bishop and cardinal.

Biography

Ardicino della Porta was born in Novara in 1434.[1] He was the grand-nephew of Cardinal Ardicino della Porta, seniore.[1] He was a doctor of both laws.[1]

Early in his career, he was vicar general of the Archdiocese of Florence, in which capacity he published the interdict of Pope Paul II against Florence.[1] He later served as papal legate to Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and to Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary to encourage them to participate in a crusade against the Ottoman Empire.[1] He then became a Referendary of the Roman Curia.[1]

On February 22, 1475, he was elected Bishop of Aléria, a post he occupied until his death. He went on to serve as a datary under Pope Sixtus IV.[1] He would go on to serve as governor of Norcia, Terni, Perugia, and Città di Castello.[1] Pope Innocent VIII put him in charge of managing relations with ambassadors to the Holy See.[1]

In the consistory of March 9, 1489, Pope Innocent VIII made him a cardinal priest.[1] He received the red hat on March 14, 1489 and the titular church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo on March 23, 1489.[1] On June 3, 1489, he became apostolic administrator of the metropolitan see of Olomouc, a post he held until February 8, 1492.[1]

On June 2, 1492, he asked the pope to allow him to resign the cardinalate and, with the pope's permission, he retired to a Camaldolese monastery.[1] However, the other members of the College of Cardinals objected, and he was forced to return to Rome.[1]

He participated in the papal conclave of 1492 that elected Pope Alexander VI.[1]

He died in Rome on February 4, 1493. He is buried in St. Peter's Basilica.[1]

References