ALEANDRO, GIROLAMO (HIERONYMUS ALE ANDER) (1480-1542), Italian cardinal, one of the greatest scholars of his time, was born at Motta, near Venice on Feb. 13, 148o, and died at Rome on Feb. 1, 1542. He was for some time rector of the University of Paris. In 1520 he was sent to Germany as papal nuncio at the coronation of Charles V., and was also present at the Diet of Worms, where he headed the opposition to Luther. The edict against the reformer, which was finally adopted by the emperor and the Diet, was drawn up and proposed by Aleandro. After the close of the Diet the papal nuncio went to the Netherlands, where he kindled the flames of persecution, two monks of Antwerp, the first martyrs of the Reformation, being burnt in Brussels at his instigation. In 1523 Clement VII. sent him as nuncio to the court of Francis I. He was taken pris oner at the battle of Pavia (1525), and was released only on payment of a heavy ransom. He was subsequently employed on various papal missions, especially to Germany, but was unable to check the progress of the new doctrines. He was created cardinal in 1S36 by Paul III.
Aleandro compiled a Lexicon Graeco-Latinum (1512), and wrote Latin verse of considerable merit inserted in M. Tuscanus's Carmina Illustrium Poetarum Italiorum. The Vatican library contains a volume of ms. letters and other documents written by him in connection with his various missions against Luther. They were utilized by Pallavicino in his Istoria del Concilio Tri dentino (i. 23-28), who gives a very partial account of the Worms conference.
Aleandro, who is sometimes called "the elder," must be dis tinguished from his grand-nephew, also called Girolamo Aleandro The younger Aleandro was a very distinguished scholar, and wrote Psalmi poenitentiales versibus elegiacis ex pressi 0593); Gaii, veteris juris consulti Institutionum frag menta, cum commentario (1600) ; Explicatio veteris tabulae marmoreae solis effigie symbolesque exculptae (1616).