FREGOSO, Paolo. — Cardinal, born in Genoa in 1430, died in Rome on 19 March 1498. Brother of Doge Pietro, he was elected Archbishop of Genoa in 1456 and received the red hat from Sixtus IV on 15 May 1480. A typical figure of an unscrupulous and ambitious politician, he managed to usurp the dogeship three times in 1462, 1463, and 1483. He was driven out by popular fury in August 1488 and resigned the dukedom on 31 October. In 1481 he led the fleet that the pope had armed in Genoa to drive the Turk from Otranto; he was under that city in August and remained there until the victory.
BIBL.: L. Levati, I dogi perpetui di Genova (1399-1529), Genoa 1930, pp. 406-42 (v. BIBLICA. ivi cit); P. Paschini, Il castello tra il card. Barbo e G. Lorenzi, Rome 1948, pp. 23, 31, 179.