Francesco Argentino (c. 1450 – 23 August 1511) was an Italian Roman Catholic bishop and cardinal.
[1] Giovanni Mocenigo, Doge of Venice, arranged for Argentino to study at the University of Padua, where the young man obtained a doctorate in law.
[1] Cardinal Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici (the future Pope Leo X) was exiled in Venice at that time, allowing Argentino to meet him.
[1] Thanks to the cardinal, he obtained a canonicate in the collegiate Chapter of St Mark's Basilica.
[1] He then traveled to Rome, where he gained the confidence of Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere (the future Pope Julius II).