MEDICIS, Hypolitus de, natural son of Julian de Medicis and a lady of Urbino, was early remarkable for the brilliancy of his wit and the graces of his person. Pope Clement VII. his cousin, made him cardinal in 1529, and sent him as legate into Germany to the court of Charles V. When that prince went into Italy, Medicis, yielding to his warlike disposition, appeared
Medicis. appeared in the dress of an officer, and advanced before the emperor, followed by several respectable gentlemen of the court. Charles, naturally suspicious, and afraid that the legate intended to do him some ill offices with the pope, sent after him and caused him to be apprehended. But when he understood that it was a mere sally of humour in the young cardinal, he set him at liberty in a few days. The character which Medicis obtained by the happy success of this appointment was of essential service to him. He was considered as one of the Supports of the Holy See; and a little before Clement's death, when the corsair Barbarossa made a descent into Italy to the great terror of Rome, which was only defended by 200 of the pope's guards, Medicis was despatched to protect the coasts from the fury of the barbarians. On his arrival at the place of destination, he was fortunate enough to find that Barbarossa had withdrawn himself at that critical moment; which allowed him to claim the honour of the retreat without exposing his person or his army. When he returned to Rome, he was of great service in the election of Paul III. who nevertheless refused to make him legate to Ancona, though that office had been promised to him in the conclave. Enraged also that the pope had bestowed the principality of Florence on Alexander de Medicis, supposed to be the natural son of Laurence duke of Urbino, he was prompted by his ambition to believe that he might succeed to that dignity by the destruction of Alexander. He entered into a conspiracy against him, and determined to carry him off by a mine; but the plot was discovered before he had accomplished his purpose. Octavian Zanga, one of his guards, was arrested as his chief accomplice. Hyppolitus de Medicis, apprehensive for his own safety, retired to a castle near Tivoli. On his road to Naples, he fell sick at Itri in the territory of Fondi, and died August 13. 1535, in his 24th year, not without suspicion of being poisoned. His house was an asylum for the unfortunate, and frequently for those who were guilty of the blackest crimes. It was open to men of all nations; and he was frequently addressed in twenty different languages. He had a natural son named Asdrubal de Medicis, who was a knight of Malta. This anecdote proves that his manners were more military than ecclesiastical. He wore a sword, and never put on the habit of cardinal except on occasions of public ceremony. He was wholly devoted to the theatre, hunting, and poetry.