Giovanni Orsini (died 1359)

Giovanni Orsini (died June 1359) was a Roman nobleman of the Orsini family who served as the bishop of Padua from 1353 until his death.^[1]

Giovanni Orsini (right) with his predecessor in a painting by Bartolomeo Montagna in the diocesan museum of Padua

Orsini was a brother of Cardinal Rinaldo Orsini. He studied at the University of Bologna and the University of Padua, where he earned a doctorate.^[2] Prior to his election as bishop, he had been a canon of Reims, archdeacon of Brabant in the diocese of Liège and a canon of Padua Cathedral.^[3] He was also the honorary sacristan of Urgell^[4] and treasurer of Vercelli.^[5]

Orsini was appointed bishop on 14 January 1353 by Pope Innocent VI while only in minor orders.^[4][5] He was the last in a string of largely absentee bishops, succeeding Ildebrandino Conti. He continued to work for the papal court in Avignon throughout his episcopate.^[1] He may never have visited Padua after becoming bishop.^[6] At Avignon, he was a notary, while also being an archpriest of Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.^[3] He appointed vicars general to govern his diocese in his absence, each usually serving for about one year.^[7] His first vicar was Nicolò Matafari, his brother's chaplain and the archbishop of Zadar.^[6]

Orsini died in Avignon in early June 1359.^[8] He was succeeded as bishop by Pileo da Prata.^[1]