archbishop bishop cardinal Dean priest
His father was Ottaviano Sauli and his mother Giustiniana. Sauli was educated at the University of Bologna and the University of Padua. Early in his life Sauli worked for the Republic of Genoa but later went to work for the Papal States.
He was Papal Nuncio to Portugal from 1579 to 1580.
Sauli was made Coadjutor Bishop of Genoa in 1585. On the death of Bishop Cipriano Pallavicino the following year, Sauli became the Metropolitan Archbishop of Genoa.
He served in this position until 1591, although he was made a Cardinal in 1587.
He was a member of the Sauli Family which among other things provided three Doges of Genoa.