FRANCESCO SODERINI. — Cardinal, born in Florence in 1453, died in Rome on 17 May 1524.
He was a familiar of Sixtus IV, and at the age of 24 was named Bishop of Volterra on 11 March 1478. Brother of Piero, who after the expulsion of the Medici became Gonfalonier of Florence, he supported him until Piero himself was driven out by the Medici in 1512, and shared his hostility toward that house. Created cardinal by Alexander VI on 31 May 1503 not without considerable expense, he did not resign the see of Volterra until 23 May 1509; in the meantime he had been given in commendam the bishopric of Saintes on 27 January 1507, which he held until 1514, for he followed the French party, as was evident in the conclave of September 1503. He took part in the conclave that elected Leo X, reconciled himself with him and seemed to be on friendly terms; but he was accused of having had some part in the conspiracy of Cardinal Petrucci and fined 12,000 ducats (8 June 1517), after which he fled to Palestrina and then to the Kingdom [of Naples], not returning to Rome until after Leo’s death. He led the opposition in the conclave of December 1521 against Cardinals Giulio de’ Medici and Alessandro Farnese; and as a skilled administrator he gained influence with Adrian VI. But because of his excessive favor toward French affairs he was imprisoned in the Castel Sant’Angelo (27 April 1523) and put on trial. Though the trial was still pending, he was admitted to the conclave of October 1523, then reconciled with Giulio de’ Medici, who became Pope Clement VII and granted him amnesty. On 3 [December?], he who on 12 June 1514 had been given in commendam the bishopric of Vicenza and in 1517 also that of Anagni was also Bishop of Ostia from 18 December 1523 and Dean of the Sacred College. He had built in Borgo a palace next to that of Cardinal Castellesi, which was also notable, though it was later destroyed.