Marcantonio Bobba

Marcantonio Bobba was born in Casale Monferrato, the son of Palatine Count Alberto Bobba.[1] His family was related to the signori of Rosignano Monferrato.[1]

He was educated at the University of Turin, becoming a doctor of both laws.[1] There, he gained the favor of Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy, who made him a senator of Turin.[1]

He was ordained as a priest around 1556.[1] On 14 June 1557 he was elected to be Bishop of Aosta.[1] He was consecrated as a bishop in Rome by Cardinal Giovanni Angelo de' Medici.[1] The Duke of Savoy named him ambassador of the Duchy of Savoy to the Holy See in 1559.[1] He arrived at the Council of Trent on 17 January 1563, participating in the Council until its close.[1] He was also the Duchy of Savoy's ambassador to the Council.[1] From 21 June 1563 he was a member of the Council's commission on canons and marriage.[1]

Pope Pius IV made him a cardinal priest in the consistory of 12 March 1565.[1] He participated in the papal conclave of 1565-66 that elected Pope Pius V.[1] He received the red hat and the titular church of San Silvestro in Capite on 8 February 1566.[1] Together with Cardinals Giovanni Ricci, Giovanni Francesco Commendone, and Alessandro Sforza, was named by Pope Pius V inspector of rivers, ports and public roads of Rome.[1] He was a participant in the papal conclave of 1572 that elected Pope Gregory XIII.[1] On 2 June 1572 he opted for the titular church of San Marcello al Corso.[1]

He was a good friend of Cardinal Charles Borromeo.[1]

He died in Rome on 18 March 1575. He was buried in Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri.[1]

• Catholic Church in Italy

• Carlo Tenivelli (1785). Biografia Piemontese (in Italian). Vol. Decade seconda. Torino: Briolo. pp. 235–250.