Alessandro Farnese (cardinal)

His Eminence

Alessandro Farnese
His Eminence; Alessandro Farnese
Archpriest of Saint Peter's Basilica
	Portrait by Titian, c. 1545-1546
Church	Roman Catholic
In office	1543–1589
Other post(s)	Dean of the College of Cardinals (1580–89); Cardinal-Bishop of Ostia; (1580–89); Cardinal-Priest of San Lorenzo in Damaso (1564–89)
Orders
Created cardinal	18 December 1534; by Pope Paul III
Rank	Cardinal-Bishop
Personal details
Born	7 October 1520; Castello Valentano, Valentano
Died	2 March 1589 (aged 68); Rome, Papal States
Buried	Il Gesù, Rome
Nationality	Tuscan
Residence	Avignon, Rome
Parents	Pierluigi Farnese; Girolama Orsini
Children	Clelia Farnese
Occupation	Papal nephew; diplomat; administrator;
Previous post(s)	Cardinal-Bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina (1578–80); Archbishop of Monreale (1568–73); Cardinal-Bishop of Frascati (1565–78); Cardinal-Bishop of Sabina (1564–65); Patriarch of Jerusalem; (1539– c. 1550);
Education	Bologna (law)

Alessandro Farnese (5 October 1520^[1] – 2 March 1589), an Italian cardinal and diplomat and a great collector and patron of the arts, was the grandson of Pope Paul III (who also bore the name Alessandro Farnese), and the son of Pier Luigi Farnese, Duke of Parma, who was murdered in 1547. He should not be confused with his nephew, Alessandro Farnese, Governor of the Spanish Netherlands, grandson of Emperor Charles V and great-grandson of Pope Paul III.

^ P. Rosini, Il Palazzo Farnese di Caprarola (2015), pp. 2-3, provides evidence to indicate that the actual birthday was September 27.