Giovanni Ricci (bishop)
Giovanni Ricci (1 November 1498 – 3 May 1574) was an Italian Roman Catholic bishop and cardinal. Biography Giovanni Ricci was born in Chiusi on 1 November 1498, the son of Pietro Antonio Ricci. Disliking his stepmother, Giovanni Ricci traveled to Rome at age 15, seeking the protection of his father's friend Tarugi, a nobleman from Montepulciano, who could not convince the youth to return to Montepulciano. He later entered the court of Cardinal Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte, the future Pope Julius III, as assistant to the master of chamber; he became the cardinal's master of chamber upon the death of the old master of chamber. He later entered the service of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, iuniore. He was sent on diplomatic missions to the Kingdom of France and the Duchy of Burgundy, which he accomplished successfully. He then entered the ecclesiastical estate and became a protonotary apostolic participantium. In 1542, he became a cleric in the Apostolic Camera. He was later to serve as apostolic collector for the Kingdom of Portugal, and nuncio to the Kingdom of France and to Austria. On 25 June 1544, he was elected Archbishop of Manfredonia. From 27 June 1544 to 4 March 1550,