Pietro Carnesecchi

Pietro Carnesecchi (December 24, 1508 – October 1, 1567) was an Italian humanist.

Born in Florence, he was the son of a da Andrea Carnesecchi, a merchant who under the patronage of the Medici, and especially of Giulio de' Medici as Pope Clement VII, rapidly rose to high office at the papal court.

He came into touch with the new learning at the house of his maternal uncle, Cardinal Bernardo Dovizi, in Rome. At the age of twenty-five he held several rich livings, had been notary and protonotary to the Curia and was first secretary to the pope, in which capacity he conducted the correspondence with the nuncios (among them Pier Paolo Vergerio in Germany) and a host of other duties.

By his conduct at the conference with Francis I of France at Marseille he won the favour of Catherine de' Medici and other influential personages at the French court, who in later days befriended him. He made the acquaintance of the Spanish reformer Juan de Valdés at Rome, and got to know him as a theologian at Naples, being especially drawn to him through the appreciation expressed by Bernardino Ochino, and through their mutual friendship with the Lady Giulia Gonzaga, whose spiritual adviser he became after the death of Valdés. He became a leading spirit in the literary and religious circle that gathered round Valdés in Naples, and that aimed at effecting from within the spiritual reformation of the church. Under Valdés' influence he wholeheartedly accepted Luther's doctrine of justification by faith, though he repudiated a policy of schism.

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