Giovanni Michiel

Giovanni Michiel was born in Venice sometime between April 1446 and April 1447, the son of Lorenzo Michiel and Nicolosa Barbo, sister of the future Pope Paul II.[1] A cousin, Giovanni Battista Zeno, was also a cardinal (1468).[1]

Early in his career, Michiel served as a protonotary apostolic. During this time, he lived with his uncle in the Apostolic Palace.[1]

His uncle made him a cardinal deacon in the consistory of 21 November 1468.[1] He received the red hat and the deaconry of Santa Lucia in Septisolio on 22 November 1468. He opted for the deaconry of Sant'Angelo in Pescheria ca. 1470.[1]

He was named Bishop of Verona in commendam on 18 March 1471; his entry into the see was delayed by the conflict between the Republic of Venice and the Holy See, but then occupied the office until his death.[1]

He participated in the papal conclave of 1471 that elected Pope Sixtus IV.[1] He left Rome with the pope on 10 June 1476 because of an outbreak of bubonic plague, traveling to Viterbo and Foligno; they returned to Rome on 23 October.[1] He opted to become a cardinal priest ca. 1484, taking the titular church of San Marcello al Corso, though retaining Sant'Angelo in Pescheria in commendam.[1]

He participated in the papal conclave of 1484 that elected Pope Innocent VIII.[1] On 15 September 1484 he succeeded the incoming pope as Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals, and was elected to the post on 9 January 1485 until 11 January 1486.[1] The pope named him Bishop of Padua, but the Republic of Venice opposed this appointment and sequestered his revenues, with the result that Michiel resigned the see in March 1487.[1] On 4 June 1486 he was named legate a latare to the Patrimonium Sancti Petri and to the fortresses and castles of the Holy See.[1] He was named Inspector of the papal army raised against Ferdinand I of Naples and later led the negotiations that led to a peace treaty signed on 11 August 1487.[1]

On 14 March 1491 he opted to become a cardinal bishop, taking the suburbicarian see of Albano.[1] On 10 October 1491 he opted for the suburbicarian see of Palestrina.[1]

He participated in the papal conclave of 1492 that elected Pope Alexander VI.[1] On 31 August 1492 the pope named him suburbicarian bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina.[1]

When, as part of the Italian War of 1494–1498, French troops entered Rome on 27 May 1495 he and the pope left Rome for Orvieto.[1] He was named (titular) Latin Patriarch of Antioch on 23 January 1497.[1]

He died in Rome on 10 April 1503, two days after he was poisoned by his cook on the orders of Cesare Borgia.[1] He is buried in San Marcello al Corso.[1]