Franciotto Orsini

A member of the Orsini family, Franciotto Orsini was born in Rome in 1473, the son of Orso Orsini di Monterotondo and Costanza Savelli.[1] He was a nephew of Pope Leo X on his father's side.[1] Orsini was educated in Florence by Lorenzo de' Medici.[1]

Early in his life, he participated in several military exercises, fighting against the forces of Cesare Borgia.[1]

Moving to Rome, he became a protonotary apostolic.[1] His uncle Pope Leo X made him a cardinal deacon in the consistory of July 1, 1517.[1] He received the red hat and the deaconry of San Giorgio in Velabro on July 6, 1517.[1]

He was administrator of the see of Nicastro from September 15, 1517 to May 5, 1518.[1] He became archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica in 1520,[2] in succession to Cardinal Ippolito d'Este, who had died on 3 September 1520; Orsini held the post until 1530, when he was succeeded by Cardinal Francesco Corsaro.[1] On January 18, 1519, he was named administrator of the see of Boiano, holding this post until July 24, 1523.[1] He was deposed from the cardinalate on August 8, 1519, though later reinstated.[1] Sometime after 1519, he opted for the deaconry of Santa Maria in Cosmedin.[1]

He participated in both the papal conclave of 1521-22 that elected Pope Adrian VI, and in the papal conclave of 1523 that elected Pope Clement VII.[1]

On June 15, 1524, he became administrator of the see of Fréjus, holding this post until December 15, 1525.[1] He was the administrator of the see of Rimini from March 23, 1528 until April 7, 1529.[1]

He was married to Violante Orsini di Mugnano and had five legitimate children.[1] After his wife's death, he entered the ecclesiastical estate.[1]

He died in Rome on January 10, 1534.[1] He is buried in St. Peter's Basilica.[1]

• Bazzano, Nicoletta (2013). "ORSINI, Franciotto.". (in Italian), in: Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani Volume 79 (2013).