Adriano Castellesi

Adriano Castellesi (-), also known as Adriano de Castello or Hadrian de Castello, was an Italian cardinal, an English agent in Rome, and a writer. He was born in Corneto, which is today's Tarquinia. He was the child of a modest family.

Biography

In 1488, Castellesi began a career in papal bureaucracy. After 1489, he would spend most of his diplomatic career in England as the papal collector, which allowed him to generate significant profits. By 1490 Castellesi formed a relationship with King Henry VII, followed by a series of accomplishments. In 1492 he received the prebend of Ealdland in St Paul's Cathedral followed by St Dunstan-in-the-East from King Henry. After Castellesi was granted English denization on 29 June 1492, he became the clerk of the papal treasury and the Bishop of Hereford. Thomas Wolsey was another figure with whom Castellesi formed an increasingly strained relationship. Even though Wolsey turned to Castellesi to support his efforts at gaining a cardinalship, he later preferred Gigli. By 1515, Castellesi completely fell from Wolsey's favor.

In Rome, Castellesi formed a strong relationship with Pope Alexander VI. Even though Castellesi tried to buy a cardinalate in 1498, his efforts were unsuccessful until Alexander VI made him a cardinal, titled of San Grisogono, on 31 May 1503. He also succeeded Francesco Piccolomini as Cardinal Protector of Germany. There is no evidence that suggests the Pope was poisoned. Once Pope Julius II succeeded Alexander VI, Castellesi's former good relationship with Alexander VI proved to be a liability, especially as the prominent representative of English interests in Rome. Nevertheless, he was not executed, unlike some of the other plotters, due to his public confession. However, he was confined to his house and had to pay a fine of 12,500 scudi which was later doubled.

Following these events, Castellesi continued to face challenges, both in England and in Rome. Wolsey was infuriated that Castellesi could not secure him the bishopric of Tournai. Wolsey pressed for Castellesi's position as a collector and a cardinal to be revoked, which was eventually backed by King Henry. Despite Castellesi's struggle to hold on to power, King Henry repossessed Castellesi's palace. Later on, even though the Pope Leo X was inclined to consider clemency, Castellesi lost Bath and Wells as well as his cardinalship. The deprivation of his possessions and titles is primarily attributed to Wolsey's years-long personal vindictiveness against Castellesi. De Sermone Latino & modis latine loquendi (Basel, 1513). The text is a treatise in guidance of writing Ciceronian Latin, with a dedication to King Henry VII. He may have begun drafting in 1507 in Bologna, around the same time he published De Vera. Once published De Sermone was a popular text. a poem, De Venatione (Venice, 1534), which was dedicated to Cardinal Ascanio Sforza in September 1505.