(5499)

Cardinal Giacomo Simonetta
(c. 1475–1539)

Biographical

Cardinal-Priest of Sant'Apollinare 1537–39†
Cardinal-Priest of San Ciriaco alle Terme Diocleziane 1535–37
Apostolic administrator of Sutri-Nepi 1538
Bishop of Lodi 1536–37 res.
Bishop of Perugia 1535–38 res.
Bishop of Pesaro 1528–37 res.
Deacon 1528
Priest 1528

After his father and the rest of the family were exiled to Vercelli, Giacomo returned to Milan and studied law, graduating in 1498. Pursuing an ecclesiastical career, he moved to Rome and distinguished himself as a promising canon with the drafting of the treatise De reservationibus beneficiorum. In 1505 Pope Julius II appointed him a lawyer in the Roman consistory and in 1511 Pope Sixtus IV appointed him an auditor of the Roman Rota. He was sent on a diplomatic mission as mediator over the dispute between Florence and Siena over control of Montepulciano which was concluded positively for both sides. He took part in the Fifth Lateran Council, inaugurated in May 1512. From 1523 to 1528 he was appointed dean of the Roman Rota, the oldest to ever hold this position, and took part in the divorce proceedings of Henry VIII of England. He was appointed cardinal priest in 1535 by Pope Paul III who assigned him to the commissions for the reform of the Curia between 1535 and 1536, for the reform of the Dataria in 1537 (extended to other dicasteries in 1539), and for the convocation and management of the Ecumenical Council in 1538.

Place of birth: Milan?
Place of death: Rome
Place of burial: Trinità dei Monti, Rome

Son of Giovanni Simonetta and Caterina Barbavara.

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