Marino Caracciolo (1468 – January 28, 1538) was an Italian cardinal and diplomat in the service of Emperor Charles V

Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor

Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...

.

Born in Naples into one of the most important families in the Kingdom of Naples

Kingdom of Naples

The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...

, he spent his youth and was educated under the tutelage of Cardinal Ascanio Sforza

Ascanio Sforza

Ascanio Maria Sforza Visconti was an Italian Cardinal of the Catholic Church, generally known as a skilled diplomat who played a major role in the election of Rodrigo Borgia as Pope Alexander VI.-Early years:...

 at the court of Milan. Ambassador of Duke Massimiliano Sforza

Maximilian Sforza

Maximilian Sforza was a Duke of Milan from the Sforza family, the son of Lodovico Sforza. He ruled between the occupations of Louis XII of France , and Francis I of France in 1515...

 to the Papal court in 1513 he was created an Apostolic Protonotary

Prothonotary

The word prothonotary is recorded in English since 1447, as "principal clerk of a court," from L.L. prothonotarius , from Greek protonotarios "first scribe," originally the chief of the college of recorders of the court of the Byzantine Empire, from Greek protos "first" + Latin notarius ; the -h-...

 in 1515; in the same year he took part as orator of the Duke of Milan to the V Lateran Council

Fifth Council of the Lateran

The Fifth Council of the Lateran was the last Ecumenical council of the Catholic Church before reformation.When elected pope in 1503, Pope Julius II , promised under oath that he would soon convoke a general council. However, as time passed the promise was not fulfilled...

.

In 1518 he was appointed Papal Nuncio

Nuncio

Nuncio is an ecclesiastical diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin word, Nuntius, meaning "envoy." This article addresses this title as well as derived similar titles, all within the structure of the Roman Catholic Church...

 to Spain and in 1519 Nuncio before the Diet of Augsburg

Diet of Augsburg

The Diet of Augsburg were the meetings of the Imperial Diet of the Holy Roman Empire in the German city of Augsburg. There were many such sessions, but the three meetings during the Reformation and the ensuing religious wars between the Roman Catholic emperor Charles V and the Protestant...

. At the Diet of Worms

Diet of Worms

The Diet of Worms 1521 was a diet that took place in Worms, Germany, and is most memorable for the Edict of Worms , which addressed Martin Luther and the effects of the Protestant Reformation.It was conducted from 28 January to 25 May 1521, with Emperor Charles V presiding.Other Imperial diets at...

 in 1520 he worked with Cardinal Girolamo Aleandro against Martin Luther

Martin Luther

Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...

.

After the election of Emperor Charles V he entered into his service and was ambassador to England and to Venice. In 1524 he was created Bishop of Catania, but resigned three times in favour of other members of his family. In the same year he was enfeoffed with large estates in the Duchy of Milan

Duchy of Milan

The Duchy of Milan , was created on the 1st of may 1395, when Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Lord of Milan, purchased a diploma for 100,000 Florins from King Wenceslaus. It was this diploma that installed, Gian Galeazzo as Duke of Milan and Count of Pavia...

 (County of Vespolate

Vespolate

Vespolate is a comune in the Province of Novara in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 80 km northeast of Turin and about 12 km southeast of Novara...

 1524–1530, County of Gallarate

Gallarate

Gallarate is a city and comune of Lombardy, northern Italy, in the Province of Varese. It has a population of some 51,700....

 1530). He was created a Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church

Cardinal (Catholicism)

A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...

 by Pope Paul III in 1535 under the title of Cardinal Deacon of S.Maria in Aquino.

In 1536 he was appointed by Charles V Governor of Milan but he only held power on civil and economic matters, the military power being given to Alfonso d'Avalos

Alfonso d'Avalos

Alfonso d'Avalos d'Aquino, 4th Marchese di Pescara e del Vasto was a condottiero of Spanish-Italian origin.He was born in Ischia, the nephew of Francesco Ferdinando I d´Ávalos, inheriting his uncle titles after 1525, fighting the French and the Venetians by his side...

.

He is buried in the Duomo of Milan; his funeral monument is attributed to Agostino Busti

Agostino Busti

Agostino Busti was a High Renaissance Italian sculptor.Busti was born in Busto Arsizio in northern Italy. Busti probably began his training with the sculptor and architect Benedetto Briosco. He and his brother's applications in 1512 for sculptural work at the workshop of the Milan Cathedral are...

, known as Bambaia.