Alfonso Carafa

Alfonso Carafa (16 July 1540 – 29 August 1565) was a member of one of the oldest noble families of Naples and a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.

His father was Antonio, Marquis of Montebello, whose uncle, Gian Pietro Carafa, ascended the papal throne in 1555 as Pope Paul IV.

His great-uncle continued to show him favour as pope, appointing him as an apostolic protonotary and insisting that the young boy sleep in his own private chambers.

After the disgrace of his uncles Carlo and Giovanni in January 1559, Alfonso assumed the role of Cardinal Nephew for the last few months of Paul's pontificate.

In June 1560 he was arrested on the instructions of the new pope Pius IV and along with his two uncles was imprisoned in the Castel Sant'Angelo on charges of corruption and the theft of papal property.