(1) 1.BONELLI, O.P., Michele (1541-1598)
Birth. November 25, 1541, Bosco Marengo. Son of Marco Bonelli, noble from Alessandria and Dominina de' Gibertis, niece of Pope Pius V. His baptismal name was Carlo. Also known as CardinalAlessandrino. Grand-nephew of PopePius V. Great-uncle of CardinalCarlo Bonelli (1664).
Education. Entered the Order of Preachers (Dominicans); took the name Michele; professed at the convent of S. Maria sopra Minerva, Rome, 1559. Studied letters atCollegio Germanico, Rome.
Priesthood. Ordained (no further information found) . Professor of theology in Perugia; called to Rome by his great-uncle the pope.
Cardinalate. Created cardinal priest in the consistory of March 6, 1566; received the red hat and the title of S. Maria sopra Minerva, March 20, 1566; he conditioned his promotion to permission to continue wearing his Dominican habit. Noble of Alessandria 1566. Citizen and noble of Rome, September 4, 1567. Grand prior in Rome of the Sovereign Order of Malta, June 1568. Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, December 3, 1568 until May 10, 1570 . Abbotcommendatario of S. Michele di Chiusi, 1571. Legate before the kings of Spain and Portugal, June 18, 1571. Declared by the pope his cardinalnipote in the consistory of June 19, 1571. Legatea latere before the king of France, with the same faculties that he had as legate in Spain and Portugal, November 16, 1571 . Administered the last rites to his great-uncle the pope. Participated in theconclave of 1572, which elected Pope Gregory XIII. Member of the S.C. of the Index, 1572; and of the S.C. of the Council, 1573. Named by Pope Gregory XIII prefect of the S.C. of Religious. Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals, January 7, 1585 to January 7, 1587. Participated in theconclave of 1585, which elected Pope Sixtus V. Pope Sixtus V named him his vicar general in Rome and the entire State of the Church . Opted for the title of S. Lorenzo in Lucina, November 8, 1589. Cardinalprotoprete. Participated in the firstconclave of 1590, which elected Pope Urban VII. Participated in the secondconclave of 1590, which elected Pope Gregory XIV.
Episcopate. Opted for the order of cardinal bishops and the suburbicarian see of Albano, March 20, 1591. Consecrated, April 2, 1591, Rome, by Cardinal Girolamo Bernerio, O.P., bishop of Ascoli Piceno, assisted by Vincenzo Casali, former bishop of Massa marittima, and by Vincenzo Bonardo, O.P., bishop of Gerace. Participated in theconclave of 1591, which elected Pope Innocent IX. Prefect of the S.C. of Bishops and Regulars, 1591. Participated in theconclave of 1592, which elected Pope Clement VIII. Prefect of the new Congregation for the Examination of Bishops in the pontificate of Clement VIII. Supported the reconciliation of the pope with King Henri IV in 1594. First count of Bosco Marengo, November 29, 1597.
Death. March 28, 1598, after a seven-day illness, Rome. Buried in the Dominican church of S. Maria sopra Minerva, Rome .