Francesco Maidalchini

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Portrait of Cardinal Maidalchini by Pietro Paolo Vegli

Francesco Maidalchini (born April 21, 1631 in Viterbo , † June 13, 1700 in Nettuno ) was an Italian cardinal .

biography

He was born on April 21, 1631 in Viterbo to Andrea Maidalchini and Pacifica Feliziani. As the nephew of Olimpia Maidalchini , thanks to this influence he was able to go through a remarkable ecclesiastical career that soon led him to cardinalate. He was the uncle of Cardinal Fulvio Astalli .

Despite the fact that nepotism was officially abolished by Pope Julius II after the reforms of the early 16th century , the popes of the time still had a certain tendency to favor certain figures of the papal curia. Maidalchini in particular, as the nephew of Pope Innocent X's sister-in-law, enjoyed this influence. After Camillo Francesco Maria Pamphili resigned the cardinalate in order to marry Olimpia Aldobrandini , he was able to enter the office of cardinal nepot and was until the appointment of Cardinal Sigismondo Chigi , who was Clement IX. made the youngest Italian cardinal.

Even before he received the dignity of cardinal, he was appointed abbot of San Martino e San Gaudenzio in Rimini and San Pancrazio fuori le mura in Rome . He received the title of canon of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

However, his presence at the papal court was not appreciated by most, and the writer Gregorio Leti described him as follows:

“... un'espressione stupida, con nemmeno l'apparenza di un uomo, con nessuna esperienza nelle cose del mondo, ignorant nelle lettere e incapace di apprendere, brutal nelle parole e nei fatti, malfatto nel corpo e nella mente, ricettacolo delle peggiori qualità popolari ... ”

“... a stupid expression, not even the appearance of a man, without experience in the things of the world, ignorant of literature and incapable of learning, brutal in words and deeds, made evil in body and mind, collection of the worst known qualities ... "

- Gregorio Leti

Despite this reputation and the fact that the pontiff did not consider him a valid element, he was nonetheless a member of the papal family within the college of cardinals . His position in turn guaranteed him a number of consistent honors. On October 7, 1647 he was proclaimed cardinal in the consistory and initially received the Diakonie Sant'Adriano al Foro (December 16, 1647) and later opted for the titular church of San Pancrazio , which was awarded pro illa vice on May 5, 1653 . On March 23, 1654 he moved to the diaconate of Santa Maria in Portico Campitelli and took part with this title in the conclave of 1655 , which Pope Alexander VII elected.

Without any political knowledge appropriate to his role, Maidalchini was trained by the Cardinals Giovanni Giacomo Panciroli and Domenico Cecchini . Essentially, however, he was left with a weak political position. On the one hand, his aunt kept him under her strict supervision to prevent him from exerting too much power or influence over her, and even demanded that he reside with her at Palazzo Pamphilj in Piazza Navona , rather than in the papal palaces. On the other hand, the Pope's direct nephews had a clear opposition to Francesco, considering him an "adopted" cardinal nephew and not wanting to have any relations with him.

On October 11, 1666, he received the diakonia of Santa Maria in Via Lata and later became cardinal protodeacon , where he had the privilege of personally crowning the next three popes to the papal throne. He took part in the conclave of 1667 , in which Pope Clement IX. was elected, and returned to the Sistine Chapel for the conclave of 1669–1670 , in which Pope Clement X was elected . Finally, he took part in the conclave of 1676 that Pope Innocent XI. elected, and at the 1689 conclave that elected Pope Alexander VIII .

Only in 1689 did he take his vows and was ordained a priest, and from October 19, 1689, he decided to go to the titular church of Santa Maria in Via Lata. With this title he took part in the conclave of 1691 , in which Pope Innocent XII. was elected, and eventually chose the title of Santa Prassede (July 23, 1691).

On Christmas night 1649 he personally opened the Holy Door of the Roman basilica Santa Maria Maggiore , ushering in the jubilee of 1650. He never had episcopal ordination.

He died on June 13, 1700 around noon in Nettuno and was transferred to Rome the following day. The funeral took place here on June 15, and his body was interred in the Basilica of Sant'Eustachio in Rome.

Political attitudes

In the political rivalry between France and Spain , Maidalchini first stood up for Spain. In any case, the leaders of the Spanish faction in Rome always showed him little consideration or respect, and so he switched sides. He continued to support members of the Spanish party in the 1655 conclave, but later he was one of the most energetic supporters of the Kingdom of France in the College of Cardinals.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Gregorio Leti: Vita di Donna Olimpia Maildachini . ( google.it ).
  2. ^ Eleanor Herman: Mistress of the Vatican: The True Story of Olimpia Maidalchini: The Secret Female Pope . William Morrow, 2008, ISBN 0-06-124555-0 (English).
  3. ^ A b Ludwig von Pastor: History of the Popes . tape 31 . London 1940, p. 2 (English).
  4. ^ Ludwig von Pastor: History of the Popes . tape 31 . London 1940, p. 2 u. 527 (English).

literature

  • Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi . In: Dictionnaire des cardinaux . tape V , S. 50 .
  • Cardella: Memorie storiche de 'cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa . tape VII , p. 80 .
  • El Zedler: Large complete universal lexicon of all sciences and arts .
  • Eleanor Herman: Mistress of the Vatican: The True Story of Olimpia Maidalchini: The Secret Female Pope . William Morrow, 2008, ISBN 0-06-124555-0 (English).
  • Ludwig von Pastor: History of the Popes . tape 31 . London 1940 (English).

Web links

Commons : Francesco Maidalchini  - collection of images, videos and audio files
personal data
SURNAME Maidalchini, Francesco
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Italian cardinal
DATE OF BIRTH April 21, 1631
PLACE OF BIRTH Viterbo
DATE OF DEATH June 13, 1700
Place of death Nettuno