Antonio Carafa was born in Naples to Rinaldo I Carafello Carafa, a local patrician, and Giovanna of the signori of Montefalcone.
He then led a life of wandering, avoiding his father who did not wish him to join the Order, and visited Pisa and other Italian towns; then in 1247 he was sent to Lyon, and visited Paris, Ferrara Cremona, Troyes, Florence, Ravenna, Genoa, Reggio and the friary of Montefalcone (near San Polo d'Enza in the region of Emilia-Romagna).