Ippolito de' Medici facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ippolito de' Medici |
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| Portrait by Cristofano dell'Altissimo, c. 1605 | |
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| Reign | 19 November 1523 – 16 May 1527 |
| Predecessor | Giulio de' Medici |
| Successor | Alessandro de' Medici |
| Noble family | Medici |
| Father | Giuliano de' Medici |
| Mother | Pacifica Brandano |
| Born | March 1511 Florence, Republic of Florence |
| Died | 10 August 1535 (aged 24) Itri, Kingdom of Naples |
Ippolito de' Medici (March 1511 – 10 August 1535) was the only son of Giuliano di Lorenzo de' Medici and Pacifica Brandano.
Contents
Early Life and Rise to Power
Ippolito was born in Urbino, Italy. His father passed away when Ippolito was just five years old in 1516. After this, his uncle, who later became Pope Leo X, and his cousin, Giulio de' Medici, helped raise him.
When his cousin Giulio was chosen as Pope Clement VII in 1523, Ippolito took on an important role. From 1524 to 1527, he helped rule the city of Florence on behalf of his powerful uncle.
Becoming a Cardinal
After a big event called the siege of Florence (1529–1530), Pope Clement VII decided that his other nephew, Alessandro de' Medici, should lead Florence. To help Ippolito with church duties instead, Pope Clement VII made him a Cardinal on January 10, 1529. A Cardinal is a very high-ranking official in the Catholic Church, just below the Pope. On the same day, Ippolito was also named the first Archbishop of Avignon, which brought him a good income.
Even though he was a Cardinal, Ippolito really wanted to rule Florence. He spent the rest of his life trying to step away from his church role and take over from his cousin Alessandro. On May 3, 1529, Cardinal Ippolito was also named a Papal Legate in Perugia. This meant he was a special representative of the Pope.
Meeting the Emperor
On August 12, 1529, Cardinal Ippolito de' Medici was one of three Cardinals chosen for a special task. They met the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V in Genoa. Their job was to escort the Emperor to his coronation ceremony in Bologna. Ippolito took part in these important ceremonies.
In February 1530, Pope Clement gave Cardinal Ippolito a share of the yearly income from the town of Chiusi. This was a way to provide him with more money for his lifetime.
Travels and Military Role
In the spring of 1532, Ippolito was sent to Hungary as a Papal Legate. He left Rome on July 8. While in Hungary, he showed a talent for leading soldiers. He commanded 8,000 Hungarian troops against the Ottoman Turks. However, the Sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent, decided not to advance that late in the year. Emperor Charles V also only had enough soldiers for defense, not for attacking. When the Emperor returned to Italy the next year, Cardinal Ippolito followed him.
On July 3, 1532, Cardinal Ippolito was given another important job: Vice-Chancellor of the Holy Roman Church. This was one of the most profitable positions in the Roman Church.
Personal Life and Later Years
Ippolito was a friend to Giulia Gonzaga, the Countess of Fondi. He was also fond of Catherine de' Medici. Some people believe that his uncle, Pope Clement, made Ippolito a Cardinal to keep him and Catherine apart. By April 24, 1531, Catherine was promised to Henry, the son of King Francis I of France, for marriage. At that time, Catherine was 11 and Ippolito was 21.
Ippolito's cousin, Pope Clement, passed away on September 25, 1534. A new Pope, Paul III, was chosen on October 12. In 1535, Ippolito was no longer under his cousin's direct influence. He became the ambassador for Florence to Emperor Charles V. He was happy to share complaints about how Alessandro de' Medici was ruling Florence.
Ippolito became sick with a fever for eight days and died from malaria on August 10, 1535, in Itri, Italy.
Collection of People and Animals
During the Renaissance period, the Medici family was known for having large collections of exotic animals. Cardinal Ippolito de' Medici also had a unique collection. He gathered people from different races and cultures, as well as unusual animals. Reports say he had a group of people who spoke more than twenty languages, including Moors, Tartars, Indians, Turks, and Africans.
Images for kids
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Portrait of Ippolito de Medici in a Hungarian Costume by Titian (1532–33)
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