Giovanni Vitelleschi

Vitelleschi had received his military training as a youth in the banda of Tartaglia and refined his education under the tutelage of Pope Martin V, who made him apostolic pronotary.

His success at putting down the republicans at Rome earned him the purely honorary title Latin Patriarch of Alexandria and the more immediate one of archbishop of Florence.

Hence he acquired so much power over the pontiff, and the papal troops, that the former was afraid of commanding him, and the latter obeyed no one else[2]Florence's spies kept a close watch over the mail and soon intercepted letters from the Patriarch to Niccolò Piccinino, who was currently ravaging Tuscany with his warband.

Antonio perceived this to be the favourable moment, informed his people what they were to do, and awaited the arrival of the patriarch upon the bridge, which adjoined the building, and might for the purpose of security be raised or lowered as occasion required.

Giovanni Vitelleschi commissioned Filippo Lippi to paint the famous Madonna and Child Enthroned (now in Palazzo Barberini, Rome) for his palace in Tarquinia.