Tebaldeo was born at Ferrara. He changed his family name (Tebaldi) to Tebaldeo, in consonance with the practice of the Humanists, who sought to Latinize the form of their appellation as much as possible. After serving as tutor to Isabella d'Este and secretary to Lucrezia Borgia, he came to the court of Pope Leo X at Rome, enjoying the favour of the pope and the companionship of many erudite men and artists. He lost all his means in the sack of Rome (1527), and spent the remainder of his life in very narrow circumstances.