User:Josothunder/Gherardo Maffei

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Gherardo Maffei (1408-16 October 1466) was an Italian secretary who served in various capacities within the Papal Curia. He was from Volterra, Italy, and was the father of four children including the Italian humanist Raffaello Maffei.

Career
Little is known about his early life except that, at the age of 24, he moved from Volterra to Rome and was appointed his first role within the Papal Curia. It is likely that prior to this transition he completed legal training and worked in a law firm. From there on, he served in various capacities -- many of them simultaneously -- including as a notary under the auditor of the Apostolic Camera and then as a clerk within the Apostolic Chamber directly. Both of these positions were made possible through the help of Cardinal Francesco Condulmer, and enabled him to achieve further promotions within the Papal Curia.

During his tenure within the Papal Curia, Gherardo became well known within Volterra and was chosen for several diplomatic missions to the neighboring city of Florence and as well as to the Holy See.

On 2 May 1455, the chamberlain cardinal promoted Gherardo to Master of the Register of the Apostolic Chamber, a position that Pope Callixtus III confirmed him to life to on 22 April 1456. Just over a year later on 28 April 1457, Pope Callixtus III also bestowed upon him the title of papal secretary, a position that was renewed by both Pope Pius II and Pope Paul II. In his capacity as papal secretary, Gherardo was tasked with recording minutes, organizing the finances of daily operations and various construction projects, and writing summaries, or histories that were subsequently kept in the Vatican archives.

In the final years of his career, Gherardo oversaw various agreements and treaties, including one where the city of Siena agreed to pay 16,000 florins to finance the crusade announced by Pope Pius II against the Ottomans.

Family
In 1441, Gherardo married Volterran noblewoman Lucia di Giovanni Seghieri. They had four sons. Giovan Battista, the eldest son, was born in 1444 but passed away in 1464 from the plague. The second eldest, Antonio, was born in 1450 and was hanged at the age of 28 for his role in the failed Pazzi Conspiracy against Lorenzo de Medici. Raffaello was born in 1451 and became a well-known Italian humanist and historian. Raffaello married Tita di Bartolomeo Minucci and eventually gave Gherardo a grandson, Guilio, and a granddaughter, Lucilla. Gherardo's youngest son, Mario, was born in 1459 and became the bishop of Aquino and Cavaillon. Notably, all three of his surviving sons were in some capacity employed by the Catholic Church.

While Gherardo maintained a home in Volterra and likely had one in Rome, he also purchased an estate in Florence in 1450 from S. Donnino and Bernardo di Corso Adimari.

Gherardo died on 16 October 1466 and was survived by two sons.