Editing Pope Paul III (section)

===Early career and family===
Born in 1468 at [[Canino]], [[Latium]] (then part of the Papal States), Alessandro Farnese was the second son of Pier Luigi I Farnese, Signore di [[Montalto di Castro|Montalto]] (1435–1487) and Giovanna Caetani,{{sfn|Gamrath|2007|p=25}}<ref name="Loughlin">{{cite web |title=CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Pope Paul III |url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11579a.htm |website=www.newadvent.org}}</ref> a member of the [[Caetani]] family which had produced [[Pope Gelasius II]] and [[Pope Boniface VIII]]. The [[Farnese family]] had prospered over the centuries, but it was Alessandro's ascendency to the papacy and his dedication to family interests which brought about the most significant increase in the family's wealth and power.

Alessandro was given a humanist education at the [[University of Pisa]] and the court of [[Lorenzo de' Medici]].<ref>Verellen Till R. Pope Paul III (Alessandro Farnese) Oxford Online</ref> Initially trained as an [[apostolic notary]], he joined the [[Roman Curia]] in 1491 and in 1493 [[Pope Alexander VI]] appointed him Cardinal-Deacon of ''[[Santi Cosma e Damiano, Rome|Santi Cosma e Damiano]]''. Alessandro's sister, [[Giulia Farnese|Giulia]], was reputedly a mistress of Alexander VI, and might have been instrumental in securing this appointment for her brother. For this reason, he was sometimes mockingly referred to as the "Borgia brother-in-law", just as Giulia was mocked as "the Bride of Christ". Much later (in 1535), the Venetian nobleman Soriano recorded that Alessandro was called ''cardinale Fregnese'' (Cardinal Pussy, or Cardinal Cunt) on account of the relationship between his sister and Alexander VI.<ref>Ferdinand Gregorovius, ''[https://archive.org/details/p1historyofcityo07greguoft/page/350/mode/2up History of the City of Rome in the Middle Ages]'' (London: George Bell & Sons, 1900): VII, 1, 351.</ref>

As a young cleric, Alessandro lived a notably dissolute life, taking a mistress, [[Silvia Ruffini]]. Between about 1500 and 1510, she gave birth to at least four children: [[Costanza Farnese|Costanza]],{{sfn|Gamrath|2007|p=25}} [[Pier Luigi Farnese|Pier Luigi]] (who was later created [[Duke of Parma]]),{{sfn|Knecht|2014|p=42}} Paolo, and [[Ranuccio Farnese (1509–1529)|Ranuccio]]. In July 1505, Pope Julius II [[Legitimacy (family law)|legitimated]] the two eldest sons so that they could inherit the Farnese family estates.<ref>Roberto Zapperi, ''La leggenda del papa Paolo III: arte e censura nella Roma pontificia'' (Torino: Bollati Boringhieri, 1998): 20.</ref> On 23 June 1513, Pope Leo X published a second legitimation of Pier Luigi, and also legitimized Ranuccio (the second son Paolo had already died).<ref>Zapperi, 21.</ref>

On 28 March 1509, Alessandro was named Bishop of Parma, but he was not ordained a priest until 26 June 1519 and not consecrated a bishop until 2 July 1519. As Bishop of Parma, he came under the influence of his vicar-general, [[Bartolomeo Guidiccioni]]. This led to Alessandro breaking off the relationship with his mistress and committing himself to reform in his diocese.<ref name="Concordia" /> Under [[Pope Clement VII]] (1523–34) he was named [[Cardinal Bishop of Ostia]] and [[Dean of the College of Cardinals]].