Pope Paul III made him a
cardinal deacon in the
consistory of 19 December 1539. He received the
red hat and the
deaconry of
Santa Lucia in Selci on 16 April 1540. On 8 January 1543 he opted for the deaconry of
Santi Cosma e Damiano. From 13 April 1545 to 26 May 1546 he was the administrator of the
see of Teramo. He participated in the
papal conclave of 1549-50 that elected
Pope Julius III. The new pope made Cardinal Savelli
papal legate in the
March of Ancona and he served in that position throughout the pontificate of Julius III. He opted for the deaconry of
San Nicola in Carcere on 9 March 1552. He participated in both the
papal conclave of April 1555 that elected
Pope Marcellus II and the
papal conclave of May 1555 that elected
Pope Paul IV. He was the administrator of the
see of Gubbio from 29 May 1555 until 6 February 1556, when he resigned the administration in favor of his nephew Marino Savelli, bishop-elect of Nicastro. Cardinal Savelli became administrator of Nicastro for a second time starting 6 February 1556, resigning sometime before 26 January 1560. On 16 December 1558 he opted for the deaconry of
Santa Maria in Cosmedin. In 1559, he participated in the
papal conclave that elected
Pope Pius IV. He was
ordained as a
priest on 19 January 1560, and he opted for the order of
cardinal priests at that time. From 26 January 1560 until 17 May 1574 he was administrator of the
see of Benevento. He was also the
Vicar General of Rome from 1560 to 1587. On 27 June 1571 he was one of three cardinals appointed by the pope to study providing assistance for the poor of Rome. He participated in the
papal conclave of 1565-66 that elected
Pope Pius V. He served as
Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals from 14 January 1568 until 14 January 1569. He was a participant in the
papal conclave of 1572 that elected
Pope Gregory XIII. On 8 April 1573 he opted for the
titular church of
Santa Maria in Trastevere. == Later life and death ==