Niccolò Caetani

Niccolò Caetani was born in Rome on 23 February 1526, the son of Camillo Caetani, 3rd duke of Sermoneta, a cousin of Pope Paul III, and his second wife, Flaminia Savelli.[1][2] His families were patricians from Naples.[1] He was the uncle of Cardinal Enrico Caetani.[1]

At the age of 10, Pope Paul III made him a cardinal deacon in pectore in the consistory of 22 December 1536.[1] On 5 March 1537 he became administrator of the Diocese of Bisignano.[1] His elevation to the cardinalate was published in the consistory of 13 March 1538; he received the red hat and the deaconry of San Nicola in Carcere on 16 April 1538.[1]

On 8 August 1539 he was elected Bishop of Conza.[1] He was promoted to the metropolitan see of Capua on 5 May 1546.[1] He resigned the administration of Bisignano on 13 March 1549.[1]

He participated in the papal conclave of 1549-50 that elected Pope Julius III.[1]

He became administrator of the see of Quimper on 14 July 1550.[1] On 9 March 1552 he opted for the deaconry of Sant'Eustachio.[1]

He participated in both the papal conclave of April 1555 that elected Pope Marcellus II and the papal conclave of May 1555 that elected Pope Paul IV.[1] He later participated in the papal conclave of 1559 that elected Pope Pius IV.[1]

On 7 January 1560 he was named governor of Cesi, Terni.[1] He resigned the administration of Quimper on 5 April 1560.[1] He participated in the papal conclave of 1565-66 that elected Pope Pius V.[1] In 1570, he became cardinal protector of the Kingdom of Scotland.[1] He participated in the papal conclave of 1572 that elected Pope Gregory XIII.[1]

On 6 January 1577 to 8 January 1578 he was the Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals.[1]

He participated in the papal conclave of 1585 that elected Pope Sixtus V.[1] He died on the day of the papal coronation, 1 May 1585.[1] His body was transferred to Loreto and he is buried there in the Basilica della Santa Casa.[1]

While bishop, he was the principal consecrator of:[2]

• Giulio della Rovere, Archbishop of Ravenna (1566);
• Giovanni Francesco Gàmbara, Bishop of Viterbo e Tuscania (1566);
• Iñigo Avalos de Aragón, Bishop of Mileto (1566); and
• Guglielmo Sirleto, Bishop of San Marco (1566).

• Catholic Church in Italy