Rodolfo Pio da Carpi

Rodolfo Pio da Carpi (* February 22, 1500 in Carpi, near Modena, † May 2, 1564 in Rome ) was a Cardinal of the Catholic Church.

Rodolfo Pio was the son of Lionello Pio II and his wife Maria née Martinengo. The father's brother Alberto III. Pio, reigned as the last reigning Count of the family over the county Carpi and was also disposed to a strict Catholic, an avowed opponent of the emerging Protestantism and a great collector of Greek, Latin and Hebrew books. The nephew and afterwards became Cardinal inherited this library later by his uncle.

Rodolfo initially studied under the humanists Aldo Manuzio and got here a general humanistic education. Later he studied law, philosophy and theology in Padua and Rome. In 1528, he became Bishop of Faenza received episcopal consecration, but only in 1533 by Cardinal Bonifacio Ferrero. Since 1529 he also acted as nuncio in France (until 1537 ) and later also for Savoy. Pio was involved in the preparation of a reform council. Pope Paul III. created him on December 22, 1536 to Cardinal and appointed him in 1537 to the first Cardinal Priest of the titular church of Santa Pudenziana, then of Santa Prisca. 1543-1544 he joined the titular church of San Clemente, from 1544-1553 he had held Santa Maria in Trastevere. In January 1540 he was legate in the Marche. In 1544 he resigned from his office as Bishop of Faenza, and was administrator of the diocese for Girgenti in Sicily. After 1553 by Pope Julius III. was included in the class of cardinal bishops, Pio received consecutive suburbicarian dioceses Albano ( 1553), Frascati ( 1553), Porto e Santa Rufina ( 1555) and finally in 1562 Ostia ( and Velletri) assigned, which he at the same time as the Dean of the College of Cardinals advanced.

Pio da Carpi was of the Inquisition and defended the new Order of the Capuchins and Jesuits.