 The appointment of Adriano Castellesi as cardinal on 31 May 1503 " eclipsed England 's cardinal protector " , with appointments to the English sees thereafter being referred through Castellesi instead of through Piccolomini . Piccolomini was himself elected as Pope Pius III on 22 September 1503 , only to die less than a month later , on 18 October ; Castellesi did not vote for him and Piccolomini was chosen for his perceived neutrality rather than for his English connections . According to the account of Castellesi , Pius III acknowledged him as his de facto successor as protector . 
