Gian Girolamo Albani

Gian Girolamo Albani (1509–1591) was an Italian Roman Catholic cardinal.

A member of the Albani family, Gian Girolamo Albani was born in Bergamo on January 3, 1509, the son of Count Francesco Albani. He studied grammar and rhetoric under Giovita Rapicio da Chiari at the University of Padua; he later received a doctorate in civil law from the university in 1529.

After university, he returned to Bergamo. There, Andrea Gritti, Doge of Venice gave him the honor cavaliere aurato. He went on to serve as collaterale generale in the army of the Republic of Venice. He then became podestà of Bergamo. In 1550, he became magistrate in Bergamo; during this period he made the acquaintance of Michele Ghislieri (the future Pope Pius V).

The Albani family had long engaged in a feud with the Brembati family. This climaxed in 1563, when the sons of the Albani murdered Count Achille Brembati in Santa Maria Maggiore, Bergamo. The Council of Ten sentenced Albani and his brothers to five years exile on the island of Lesina. Albani's wife died while he was serving this sentence.

After completing his sentence, Albani accepted an invitation from Pope Pius V to come to Rome. The pope soon named him a protonotary apostolic. He served as governor of the March of Ancona from February 3, 1569 until May 1570.

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