Niccolò Ridolfi
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Niccolò Ridolfi (1501 - January 31, 1550) was an Italian cardinal.
The son of Piero Ridolfi and Contessina de' Medici (the daughter of Lorenzo de' Medici the Magnificent), he was therefore nephew of Pope Leo X, who granted him a quick ecclesiastical career. He was appointed as cardinal in 1517 at the age of sixteen, and was: bishop of Orvieto (1520-1550), archbishop of Florence (1524-1532, renounce with reserve), bishop of Vicenza (1524-1550), Forlì (1526-1528), Viterbo (1532-1533), Salerno (1533-1548) and Imola (1533-1546).
During the regency of duke Alessandro de' Medici and cardinal Ippolito de' Medici in Florence, he supported the latter, who was his cousin. In 1534 Ridolfi returned to Rome. In 1543-1548 was again in Florence as archbishop. He was a papabile in the conclave which later elected Pope Paul III, but died during the meetings.
