Giovanni Battista Campano was born at Cavelli, near Galluccio, in the province of
Caserta, to a family of very modest condition, in the midst of the war between Angevin and Aragonese contenders for the
Kingdom of Naples. A place as tutor to the sons of the noble Carlo Pandoni, where he spent six years, brought him to the notice of Michel Ferno. In 1452 he went to
Perugia, under the patronage of the
Baglioni, and, to his Latin added Greek, under the guidance of
Demetrius Chalcondyles. Having been part of the loyal embassy sent on the city's behalf to
Pope Callixtus III in 1455, on his return was called to the chair of rhetoric at the
University of Perugia, 16 November 1455. At the elevation of Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini to the papacy as
Pope Pius II in August 1458, Campano was again among the delegation from Perugia. It was Giacomo Cardinal Ammannati, apostolic secretary, who introduced him to the learned
humanist Pius II, who named him
bishop of Crotone in Calabria, 20 October 1462, the first of a series of episcopal appointments that found Campano at last
Bishop of Teramo (23 May 1463). In Rome Campano was attached as secretary to the household of Alessandro Cardinal Oliva. After Oliva's death in 1463, Campano joined the
familia of Pius' nephew
Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini (later briefly pope as Pius III), whom he accompanied to Germany in 1471. Under
Sixtus IV he was appointed governor of
Todi (1472) and
Città di Castello (1474), but his public comparison of papal military activities with the
Turks resulted in his permanent disgrace. He died in
Siena and is buried in the
Duomo. == Works and legacy ==