Alberto III Pio, Prince of Carpi
Encyclopedia
Alberto III Pio, Prince of Carpi (1475-1530), was one of the most intellectually renowned humanist princes of the Renaissance and an intimate of the Medici
popes. Born in 1475, only two years before the death of his father, he had been raised under the guardianship of his paternal uncle Marco and his maternal uncle Giovanni Pico della Mirandola
, the humanist. They supervised his education and engaged as tutor Aldus Manutius
, who was later to found the famed Aldine Press
in Venice
, which Alberto funded.
Alberto was educated first at Ferrara
, where he attended lectures by Pietro Pomponazzi
and became friends with Pietro Bembo
and Ludovico Ariosto
, then at Padua. For most of his career he had served as a diplomat, first as the agent of the Gonzaga
to the French court and later in the pay of King Louis XII. In 1508 he was one of the negotiators of the League of Cambrai, and in January 1510 he became the ambassador of Maximilian I
, to the Papacy, but in 1520, with the ascendancy of Charles V
, Alberto committed a fatal error by switching his allegiance to Francis I, King of France.
Alberto was a close friend of Pope Leo X
and is known to have favored the election of Giulio de' Medici to the Papacy as Clement VII. He helped to bring about the alliance between Clement and Francis I that was published on 5 January 1525 and proposed the marriage between Catherine de'Medici, Clement's niece, and Francis' second son, Henry II
. Such diplomatic success had its consequences. Mendoza, Charles V's representative in Rome, described Alberto as follows, "Carpi is a devil; he knows everything and is mixed up in everything; the Emperor must either win him over or destroy him." The latter was Alberto's fate, for after the papal alliance with Francis was made public, Charles was reported to have become enraged. Shortly thereafter on 24 February 1525 Charles' troops defeated and captured Francis at the Battle of Pavia
, and eight days later his troops under Prospero Colonna
occupied Carpi and deprived Alberto of his rule. Alberto fled to Rome and attempted to reclaim his lands but without success. Eventually Charles turned them over to Duke Alfonso I of Ferrara in 1530. When Charles' troops sacked Rome in May 1527, Alberto sought refuge with Clement VII in the Castel Sant'Angelo
. He then fled to France where he was warmly welcomed and where he remained until his death in January 1531.
Alberto had been a defender of the Church since the earliest discussions about its reformation arose at the eighth Lateran Council in December 1513, well before the publication of Luther's 95 theses in 1517. By 1525 he had become embroiled in an extended dispute with Erasmus that continued for the remainder of his life and that was not concluded until two months after his death with the publication of his XXIII Libri.
Medici
The House of Medici or Famiglia de' Medici was a political dynasty, banking family and later royal house that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici in the Republic of Florence during the late 14th century. The family originated in the Mugello region of the Tuscan countryside,...
popes. Born in 1475, only two years before the death of his father, he had been raised under the guardianship of his paternal uncle Marco and his maternal uncle Giovanni Pico della Mirandola
Giovanni Pico della Mirandola
Count Giovanni Pico della Mirandola was an Italian Renaissance philosopher. He is famed for the events of 1486, when at the age of 23, he proposed to defend 900 theses on religion, philosophy, natural philosophy and magic against all comers, for which he wrote the famous Oration on the Dignity of...
, the humanist. They supervised his education and engaged as tutor Aldus Manutius
Aldus Manutius
Aldus Pius Manutius , the Latinised name of Aldo Manuzio —sometimes called Aldus Manutius, the Elder to distinguish him from his grandson, Aldus Manutius, the Younger—was an Italian humanist who became a printer and publisher when he founded the Aldine Press at Venice.His publishing legacy includes...
, who was later to found the famed Aldine Press
Aldine Press
Aldine Press was the printing office started by Aldus Manutius in 1494 in Venice, from which were issued the celebrated Aldine editions of the classics . The Aldine Press is famous in the history of typography, among other things, for the introduction of italics...
in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, which Alberto funded.
Alberto was educated first at Ferrara
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
, where he attended lectures by Pietro Pomponazzi
Pietro Pomponazzi
Pietro Pomponazzi was an Italian philosopher. He is sometimes known by his Latin name, Petrus Pomponatius.-Biography:...
and became friends with Pietro Bembo
Pietro Bembo
Pietro Bembo was an Italian scholar, poet, literary theorist, and cardinal. He was an influential figure in the development of the Italian language, specifically Tuscan, as a literary medium, and his writings assisted in the 16th-century revival of interest in the works of Petrarch...
and Ludovico Ariosto
Ludovico Ariosto
Ludovico Ariosto was an Italian poet. He is best known as the author of the romance epic Orlando Furioso . The poem, a continuation of Matteo Maria Boiardo's Orlando Innamorato, describes the adventures of Charlemagne, Orlando, and the Franks as they battle against the Saracens with diversions...
, then at Padua. For most of his career he had served as a diplomat, first as the agent of the Gonzaga
House of Gonzaga
The Gonzaga family ruled Mantua in Northern Italy from 1328 to 1708.-History:In 1433, Gianfrancesco I assumed the title of Marquis of Mantua, and in 1530 Federico II received the title of Duke of Mantua. In 1531, the family acquired the Duchy of Monferrato through marriage...
to the French court and later in the pay of King Louis XII. In 1508 he was one of the negotiators of the League of Cambrai, and in January 1510 he became the ambassador of Maximilian I
Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky...
, to the Papacy, but in 1520, with the ascendancy of Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
, Alberto committed a fatal error by switching his allegiance to Francis I, King of France.
Alberto was a close friend of Pope Leo X
Pope Leo X
Pope Leo X , born Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici, was the Pope from 1513 to his death in 1521. He was the last non-priest to be elected Pope. He is known for granting indulgences for those who donated to reconstruct St. Peter's Basilica and his challenging of Martin Luther's 95 Theses...
and is known to have favored the election of Giulio de' Medici to the Papacy as Clement VII. He helped to bring about the alliance between Clement and Francis I that was published on 5 January 1525 and proposed the marriage between Catherine de'Medici, Clement's niece, and Francis' second son, Henry II
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
. Such diplomatic success had its consequences. Mendoza, Charles V's representative in Rome, described Alberto as follows, "Carpi is a devil; he knows everything and is mixed up in everything; the Emperor must either win him over or destroy him." The latter was Alberto's fate, for after the papal alliance with Francis was made public, Charles was reported to have become enraged. Shortly thereafter on 24 February 1525 Charles' troops defeated and captured Francis at the Battle of Pavia
Battle of Pavia
The Battle of Pavia, fought on the morning of 24 February 1525, was the decisive engagement of the Italian War of 1521–26.A Spanish-Imperial army under the nominal command of Charles de Lannoy attacked the French army under the personal command of Francis I of France in the great hunting preserve...
, and eight days later his troops under Prospero Colonna
Prospero Colonna
Prospero Colonna , sometimes referred to as Prosper Colonna, was an Italian condottiero in the service of the Papal States and the Holy Roman Empire during the Italian Wars.-Biography:...
occupied Carpi and deprived Alberto of his rule. Alberto fled to Rome and attempted to reclaim his lands but without success. Eventually Charles turned them over to Duke Alfonso I of Ferrara in 1530. When Charles' troops sacked Rome in May 1527, Alberto sought refuge with Clement VII in the Castel Sant'Angelo
Castel Sant'Angelo
The Mausoleum of Hadrian, usually known as the Castel Sant'Angelo, is a towering cylindrical building in Parco Adriano, Rome, Italy. It was initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family...
. He then fled to France where he was warmly welcomed and where he remained until his death in January 1531.
Alberto had been a defender of the Church since the earliest discussions about its reformation arose at the eighth Lateran Council in December 1513, well before the publication of Luther's 95 theses in 1517. By 1525 he had become embroiled in an extended dispute with Erasmus that continued for the remainder of his life and that was not concluded until two months after his death with the publication of his XXIII Libri.