Guido Ascanio Sforza di Santa Fiora
Encyclopedia
Guido Ascanio Sforza di Santa Fiora (26 November 1518 — 6 October 1564) was an Italian
cardinal
, known also as The cardinal of Santa Fiora.
Born in Rome
, he was the son of Costanza Farnese
and therefore grandson of Pope Paul III
, brother of Cardinal Alessandro Sforza (1565), uncle of Cardinal Francesco Sforza and great-uncle of Cardinal Federico Sforza (1645). During his time as a cardinal he served as legate
as well as administrator of different towns and episcopal see
s.
His ecclesiastical career started very early with his selection as Bishop of Montefiascone e Corneto, nowadays Diocese of Viterbo, Acquapendente, Bagnoregio, Montefiascone, Tuscania e San Martino al Monte Cimino on 12 November 1528 when he was not quite ten years of age. He resigned on 4 June 1548.
He was created a cardinal deacon in the consistory
of 18 December 1534 by Pope Paul III
with the Deaconry of Santi Vito, Modesto e Crescenzia. Later he was appointed Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church on 22 October 1537, a position he held until his death. He was opted for the Deaconry of Santa Maria in Cosmedin
on 31 May 1540, for the Deaconry of Sant'Eustachio
on 10 December 1540 and finally for the Deaconry of Santa Maria in Via Lata
on 9 March 1552. He participated in the two papal conclave
s of 1555 (the one in April which elected Marcellus II and that in May which chose Paul IV) as well as the conclave held in December 1559, which resulted in the election of Pius IV who re-convoked the Council of Trent
.
Guido Ascanio Sforza died on 6 October 1564 of fever in Mantua
. His body was transferred to Rome
and buried in his family's chapel in the patriarchal Liberian basilica.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
, known also as The cardinal of Santa Fiora.
Born in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, he was the son of Costanza Farnese
Costanza Farnese
Costanza Farnese was a daughter of Alessandro Farnese and Silvia Ruffini, born before her father became Pope Paul III. Her siblings were Pier Luigi, Paul and Ranuccio. Costanza's own children included Guido Ascanio and her grandchildren included Costanza Sforza....
and therefore grandson of Pope Paul III
Pope Paul III
Pope Paul III , born Alessandro Farnese, was Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 1534 to his death in 1549. He came to the papal throne in an era following the sack of Rome in 1527 and rife with uncertainties in the Catholic Church following the Protestant Reformation...
, brother of Cardinal Alessandro Sforza (1565), uncle of Cardinal Francesco Sforza and great-uncle of Cardinal Federico Sforza (1645). During his time as a cardinal he served as legate
Papal legate
A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
as well as administrator of different towns and episcopal see
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
s.
His ecclesiastical career started very early with his selection as Bishop of Montefiascone e Corneto, nowadays Diocese of Viterbo, Acquapendente, Bagnoregio, Montefiascone, Tuscania e San Martino al Monte Cimino on 12 November 1528 when he was not quite ten years of age. He resigned on 4 June 1548.
He was created a cardinal deacon in the consistory
Consistory
-Antiquity:Originally, the Latin word consistorium meant simply 'sitting together', just as the Greek synedrion ....
of 18 December 1534 by Pope Paul III
Pope Paul III
Pope Paul III , born Alessandro Farnese, was Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 1534 to his death in 1549. He came to the papal throne in an era following the sack of Rome in 1527 and rife with uncertainties in the Catholic Church following the Protestant Reformation...
with the Deaconry of Santi Vito, Modesto e Crescenzia. Later he was appointed Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church on 22 October 1537, a position he held until his death. He was opted for the Deaconry of Santa Maria in Cosmedin
Santa Maria in Cosmedin
The Basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin is a minor basilica church in Rome, Italy. It is located in the rione of Ripa.- History :The church was built in the 8th century during the Byzantine Papacy over the remains of the Templum Herculis Pompeiani in the Forum Boarium and of the Statio annonae, one...
on 31 May 1540, for the Deaconry of Sant'Eustachio
Sant'Eustachio
Sant'Eustachio is a Roman Catholic titular church in Rome, named for the martyr Saint Eustace.-History:The church was founded in the 8th century, or possibly even earlier . The church was recorded as a diaconia at the end of the pontificate of Pope Gregory II...
on 10 December 1540 and finally for the Deaconry of Santa Maria in Via Lata
Santa Maria in Via Lata
Santa Maria in Via Lata is a church on the Via del Corso , in Rome, Italy.-History:It is claimed that St. Paul spent two years here, in the crypt under the church, whilst under house arrest waiting for his trial. This conflicts with the tradition regarding San Paolo alla Regola...
on 9 March 1552. He participated in the two papal conclave
Papal conclave
A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a Bishop of Rome, who then becomes the Pope during a period of vacancy in the papal office. The Pope is considered by Roman Catholics to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church...
s of 1555 (the one in April which elected Marcellus II and that in May which chose Paul IV) as well as the conclave held in December 1559, which resulted in the election of Pius IV who re-convoked the Council of Trent
Council of Trent
The Council of Trent was the 16th-century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It is considered to be one of the Church's most important councils. It convened in Trent between December 13, 1545, and December 4, 1563 in twenty-five sessions for three periods...
.
Guido Ascanio Sforza died on 6 October 1564 of fever in Mantua
Mantua
Mantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...
. His body was transferred to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and buried in his family's chapel in the patriarchal Liberian basilica.