Innocenzo Ciocchi Del Monte

Innocenzo Ciocchi del Monte (c. 1532–1577) was a notorious Cardinal whose relationship with pope Julius III caused grave scandal in the early 16th century. Born in Borgo San Donnino (now Fidenza) to a beggar-woman and an unknown father, he was picked up in the street by Cardinal Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte and given a position in the household of the Cardinal's brother, Baldovino.

Cardinal del Monte was elected Pope in 1550, taking the name Julius III. One of Julius' first acts was to make Innocenzo a Cardinal; a few years later, concerned at moves to have this annulled on the grounds of Innocenzo's illegitimacy and age, he arranged for the boy to be adopted by Baldovino and the year of his birth set as 1532.

Attempts to give the young Innocenzo an education had already proven hopeless: "a few social graces and a few bits of knowledge, perhaps about the glories of the Classical world, and Innocenzo's formal education was over." The new Cardinal was given numerous important and lucrative positions, including Abbot commendatario of the abbeys of Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy, S. Zeno in Verona, and of the abbeys of S. Saba, Miramondo, and of Grottaferrata, Frascati, as well as being appointed Cardinal-Nephew, the papacy's chief diplomatic and political agent. He proved totally unsuited to any of these offices, and his continuing relationship with Julius, whose bed he openly shared, created considerable scandal both inside and outside the Church. After Julius' death he was shunned and ignored. Despite committing both rape and murder, he managed to retain his cardinal's hat and was permitted to return to Rome following several periods of banishment. His death passed unremarked, and he was buried in the Del Monte family chapel.

As a boy Innocenzo was illiterate but vivacious and good-looking. He left home at an extremely early age and made his way to Piacenza, where, at around 13 or 14, he found a position in the household of the city governor, Baldovino Ciocchi del Monte, as a valero, a menial role combining the offices of footman and dogsbody. (His father may have been a soldier who had served with Baldovino, which would explain how he came into the household). He became the favourite of Baldovino's brother, Cardinal Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte, who placed him in charge of his pet monkey and appointed him provost of the cathedral chapter of Arezzo, a title involving only nominal duties but with certain rights of income.

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