**VITELLI, Vitelezzo.** – Cardinal, born in Città di Castello in 1531 to the condottiere Alessandro V. and Angela Rossa, died in Rome on 19 November 1568.
A cleric of the Apostolic Camera, he was appointed Bishop of Città di Castello on 20 March 1554, and on 15 March 1557 was created a cardinal deacon by Paul IV. A friend of Cardinal Carlo Carafa, the Nephew, when the latter fell from grace—partly due to Vitellezzo’s indiscretions—he too incurred the Pope’s disfavour. In the 1559 conclave he played a leading role in the election of Cardinal Gian Angelo Medici (Pius IV); appointed Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church on 17 November 1564; Prefect of the Apostolic Signature of Grace, and legate in Campania and Marittima in 1565. He held in commendam the see of Imola from 7 February 1560 to 24 October 1561, and thereafter that of Carcassonne from 1567 until his death. A patron of music, he supported Pierluigi da Palestrina and other artists.