Giovanni Francesco (Giovanfrancesco) Lottini (1512 – August 1572 ) was an Italian politician and writer. Lottini was born in

Volterra Volterra (; Latin: ''Volaterrae'') is a walled mountaintop town in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its history dates from before the 8th century BC and it has substantial structures from the Etruscan, Roman, and Medieval periods. History Volt ...

in 1512. In 1530 he was accused of having seriously injured a fellow resident of Volterra and put on trial. He was secretary of

Cosimo I Cosimo I de' Medici (12 June 1519 – 21 April 1574) was the second Duke of Florence from 1537 until 1569, when he became the first Grand Duke of Tuscany, a title he held until his death. Life Rise to power Cosimo was born in Florence on 12 ...

, but in 1542 officially was removed by the same Cosimo I for acts of sodomy, but remained in his service for shady dealings. In February 1548 Cosimo I sent him to

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...

, but it was he who prepared the plot against

Lorenzino de' Medici Lorenzino de' Medici (23 March 1514 – 26 February 1548), also known as Lorenzaccio, was an Italian politician, writer, and dramatist, and a member of the Medici family. He became famous for assassinating his cousin, Alessandro de' Medici, Du ...

, who oddly enough, the very same month, was hit by two killers from Volterra. Away again from Florence, Lottini moved to Rome where he became secretary of the Cardinal of Santa Fiora. On January 31, 1550, during a conclave, Cardinal

Niccolò Ridolfi Niccolò Ridolfi (1501 – 31 January 1550) was an Italian cardinal. Early life Born in Florence, son of Piero Ridolfi and Contessina de' Medici (the daughter of Lorenzo de' Medici the Magnificent). His father was a Gonfaloniere of Justice. Th ...

was poisoned and many blamed Lottini. In 1552 he obtained from

Pope Marcellus II Pope Marcellus II ( it, Marcello II; 6 May 1501 – 1 May 1555), born Marcello Cervini degli Spannocchi, was a Papalini Catholic prelate who served as head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 April 1555 until h ...

an appointment as canon of Abbey Hill of Piedmont. In 1555 he entered the

papal court The papal household or pontifical household (usually not capitalized in the media and other nonofficial use, ), called until 1968 the Papal Court (''Aula Pontificia''), consists of dignitaries who assist the pope in carrying out particular ceremoni ...

, opposing the election of

Pope Paul IV Pope Paul IV, born Gian Pietro Carafa, C.R. ( la, Paulus IV; it, Paolo IV; 28 June 1476 – 18 August 1559) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 23 May 1555 to his death in August 1559. While serving as pa ...

, who suffered much. On August 10 he was shut up in the Castel Sant'Angelo. In 1559 he was at the service of Giovanni Angelo de'Medici as a secretary, who became Pope Pius IV and appointed Lottini

Bishop of Conversano The Italian Roman Catholic diocese of Conversano-Monopoli ( la, Dioecesis Conversanensis-Monopolitana), in Apulia, has existed since 1986, when the diocese of Monopoli was united with the historic diocese of Conversano. The diocese is a suffrag ...

in 1560. Lottini however, refused the assignment, instead taking up his wandering life. Before his death (in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

, in August 1572) Lottini gave his brother a treatise of considerations and personal notes on different themes, from the military to the care of physical life. The manuscript entitled ''Avvedimenti Civili'' was given by his brother to Girolamo, the brother of

Francesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany Francesco I (25 March 1541 – 19 October 1587) was the second Grand Duke of Tuscany, ruling from 1574 until his death in 1587. He was a member of the House of Medici. Biography Born in Florence, Francesco was the son of Cosimo I de' Medici ...

, in 1574.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lottini, Giovanni Francesco 16th-century people of the Republic of Florence 1512 births 1572 deaths Italian LGBT writers 16th-century Italian writers 16th-century male writers 16th-century LGBT people 16th-century Italian politicians