(2) 1. CAETANI, Antonio (1566-1624)

Birth. 1566, Rome. His last name is also listed as Caietani. One of the seven children of Onorato Caetani and Agnesina Colonna di Paliano. Of the dukes of Sermoneta. Descendant of the family of Pope Boniface VIII. Grand-nephew of Cardinal Niccolò Caetani (1536). Nephew of Cardinal Enrico Caetani (1585). Cousin of Cardinal Ascanio Colonna (1586). Brother of Cardinal Bonifazio Caetani (1606). Uncle of Cardinal Luigi Caetani (1626). Another member of the family was Cardinal Antonio Caetani (1402).

Education. Studied in Rome under his uncle, Cardinal Enrico; and later, studied law in Bologna; and at the University of Perugia, 1588-1590 (doctorate in utroque iure, both canon and civil law, March 1, 1590 and May 6, 1596).

Sacred orders. Received the clerical tonsure in 1586. Accompanied his uncle Enrico Caetani in his nunciature to France, 1589. Received the minor orders in 1593. Accompanied his uncle Enrico Caetani in his nunciature to Poland, 1596. Made an official visit to Venice, May 1597. Privy chamberlain, 1599. Envoy to Modena, 1599. Abbot commendatario of Nonantola from 1599. Accompanied Cardinal nipote Pietro Aldobrandini to Florence to welcome Queen Marie de' Medici, wife of King Henri IV of France, 1600.

Episcopate. Elected archbishop of Capua, August 31, 1605. Consecrated, September 11, 1605, by Cardinal Roberto Bellarmino. Nuncio to Austria, September 1606 to September 1610. Returned to Capua, March 1611. Nuncio to Spain, August 1611 to July 1618. Returned to Capua, 1618.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal priest in the consistory of April 19, 1621; received the red hat and the title of S. Pudenziana, May 17, 1621. Legate in Bologna, October 13, 1621 (1). Resigned legation before May 22, 1623. Participated in the conclave of 1623, which elected Pope Urban VIII. A man of great culture and literary interests, he wrote satirical poetry and authored a theatrical opera. Promotor of Accademia degli umoristi di Roma.

Death. March 17, 1624, of malaria that he had contracted in Agro pontino, Rome. Buried in his family's chapel in his title of S. Pudenziana.

Bibliography. Cardella, Lorenzo. Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa. 9 vols. Rome : Stamperia Pagliarini, 1793, VI, 222-223; Squicciarini, Donato. Nunzi apostolici a Vienna. Città del Vaticano : Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1998, pp. 102-105.

Webgraphy. Biography by Georg Lutz, in Italian, Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani - Volume 16 (1973), Treccani; his prosopography, in German, Requiem Datenbank; his genealogy, H3, Libro d'Oro della Nobiltà Mediterranea; his arms and engraving, Araldica Vaticana; The Political Strategy of the Nuncio Antonio Caetani in the Maze of the Imperial Court (1607-1611) by Paolo Periati, in «Legatio. The Journal for Renaissance and Early Modern Diplomatic Studies», 1 (2017), 34-62.

(1) Squicciarini, Nunzi apostolici a Vienna, p. 104, indicates that he was charged with the direction of the S.C. of the Council before going to Bologna as legate in 1621 but this is not mentioned in any of the other sources consulted and he is not listed among the prefects in Re's "I cardinali prefetti della Sacra Congregazione del Concilio dalle origine ad oggi (1564-1964)."

(3) 2. SACRATI, Francesco (1567-1623)

Cardinalate. Created cardinal priest in the consistory of April 19, 1621; received the red hat and the title of S. Matteo in Merulana, May 17, 1621. Commander of the Sovereign Order of Malta, July 1621. Abbot commendatario of S. Giovanni di Castagneto (Reggio di Calabria), March 22, 1622. Transferred to the see of Cesena, May 23, 1622. Participated in the conclave of 1623, which elected Pope Urban VIII.

Death. September 6, 1623. Buried in the church of S. Maria dell'Anima, Rome (3).

Bibliography. Cardella, Lorenzo. Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa. 9 vols. Rome : Stamperia Pagliarini, 1793, VI, 223-224; Combaluzier, Fernand. "Sacres épiscopaux à Rome de 1565 à 1662. Analyse intégrale du Ms. «Miscellanea XIII, 33» des Archives Vaticanes." Sacris Eruduri, XVIII (1967-1968), p. 173.

Webgraphy. His arms, portrait and biography, in Italian, Cathopedia; his epitaph and prosopography, Requiem Datenbank, in German; his engravings, arms and portraits, Araldica Vaticana.

(1) This is according to Weber, Legati e governatori dello Stato Pontificio (1550-1809), p. 885; Katterbach, Referendarii utriusque Signaturae a Martino V ad Clementem IX et Praelati Signaturae Supplicationum a Martino V ad Leonem XIII, p. 226, says that he was appointed on June 25, 1598.
(2) This is according to Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi, IV, 16, which adds that he later transferendus vero ad Iesuitas. Cardella, Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa, VI, 224, indicates that he was buried in S. Maria dell'Anima but does not mention any transference.
(3) This is the text of the inscription on his funeral monument, kindly provided by Mr. Eman Bonnici, from Malta:

(4) 3. BONCOMPAGNI, Francesco (1592-1641)

Birth. January 21, 1592, Sora. Son of Giacomo Boncompagni, duke of Sora and Acri, and Costanza Sforza di Santa Fiore. Grand-nephew of Pope Gregory XV. Nephew of Cardinals Filippo Boncompagni (1572) and Francesco Sforza (1583). Uncle of Cardinal Girolamo Boncompagni (1664). Grand-uncle of Cardinal Giacomo Boncompagni (1695).

Education. Studied at the University of Bologna (1), where he earned a doctorate in utroque iure, both canon and civil law, on May 20, 1615.

Early life. Cleric of Naples. Abbot commendatario of S. Maria a Capella, Naples, November 26, 1607. Went to Rome and was named referendary of the Tribunals of the Apostolic Signature of Justice and of Grace in 1615. Vice-governor of Fermo, February 21, 1621 until April 17, 1621.

Sacred orders. (No information found).

Cardinalate. Created cardinal deacon in the consistory of April 19, 1621; received a dispensation for having an uncle in the Sacred College of Cardinals; received the red hat and the deaconry of S. Angelo in Pescheria, May 17, 1621. Abbot of S. Lorenzo fuori le Mura, Rome, May 15, 1621. Abbot commendatario in Città di Castello, June 14, 1621. Abbot commendatario of Ss. Fulgenzio e Oronzo, November 8, 1621. Legate in Perugia and Umbria, February 21, 1622.

Episcopate. Elected bishop of Fano, with dispensation for not having yet reached the canonical age, July 11, 1622 (2). Consecrated, 1623, in the upper church of the basilica of Assisi by Marcello Crescenzi, bishop of Assisi. Participated in the conclave of 1623, which elected Pope Urban VIII. Returned to Rome, February 14, 1626. Promoted to the metropolitan see of Naples, March 2, 1626. Opted for the deaconry of S. Eustachio, March 16, 1626. Celebrated diocesan synods in 1627, 1628 and 1632. Opted for the order of cardinal priests and the title of Ss. Quattro Coronati, February 6, 1634.

Death. December 9, 1641, Naples. Buried in the metropolitan cathedral of Naples (3).

Bibliography. Cardella, Lorenzo. Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa. 9 vols. Rome : Stamperia Pagliarini, 1793, VI, 224-227; Gauchat, Patritium. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi. Volumen IV (1592-1667). Münich : Sumptibus et Typis Librariae Regensbergianae, 1935; reprint, Padua : Il Messagero di S. Antonio, 1967, pp. 16, 41, 51, 52, 184 and 254; Katterbach, Bruno. Referendarii utriusque Signaturæ a Martino V ad Clementem IX et Praelati Signaturae Supplicationum a Martino V ad Leonem XIII. Città del Vaticano 1931. (Studi e Testi 55), p. 239; Weber, Christoph. Legati e governatori dello Stato Pontificio : 1550-1809. Roma : Ministero per i beni culturali e ambientali, Ufficio centrale per i beni archivistici, 1994. (Pubblicazioni degli archivi di Stato. Sussidi; 7) pp. 244, 331 and 509; Zigarelli, Daniello Maria. Biografie dei vescovi e arcivescovi della chiesa di Napoli con una descrizione del clero, della cattedrale, della basilica di S. Restituta e della cappella del tesoro di s. Gennaro. Napoli: Tipografico di G. Gioja, 1861, pp.162-166.

Webgraphy. His prosopography, Requiem Datenbank, in German; his engravings, portrait and arms, Araldica Vaticana.

(1) This is according to his prosopography linked above; Cardella, Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa, VI, 224, indicates that he obtained the doctorate in Naples.
(2) This is according to Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi, IV, 184; the same source, p. 16, says that he was named on July 11 of that same year; and Katterbach, Referendarii utriusque Signaturae a Martino V ad Clementem IX et Praelati Signaturae Supplicationum a Martino V ad Leonem XIII, p. 239, indicates that he was named on June 27, 1622.
(3) This is according to Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi, IV, 16, which also says that he died at 49. Cardella, Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa, VI, 226-227, says that he died in Naples in 1641 at 46 and that he was buried in the church of S. Maria della Capella. His prosopography, linked above, indicates that he was born on January 21, 1596 and was buried in the church of S. Maria della Capella, Naples; Zigarelli, Biografie dei vescovi e arcivescovi della chiesa di Napoli, p. 165-166, says that he was 46 at the time of his death and that he was buried in the church of S. Maria di Portanova, which he had built; and that he ashes were later transferred to the Mercedarian church of S. Orsola, where his tomb has the following inscription: D. O. M. FRANCISCVS TITVLI . SS .IV .CORONATORVM . S. R. E. PRESB. CARD. BPNCOMPANGNIVS . ARCHEIP. NEAPOLT. GREGORII . XIII . NEPOS . EX. DVCIBVS . SORAE . CVM . VIVENS . MORTEM . MEDITARETVR . HOC . LOCO . SEPVLCHRVM . SIBI . FIERI . IVSSIT . ET . FIDELES . VT . PRO . SE . DEVM . ORARENT . IN . CHRISTO . ORATOS . VOLVIT . OBIIT . ANNO . SALVTIS . MDCXLI . MENSE . DECEMBRIS . ÆTATIS . SVÆ . ANNO . XLVI .

(5) 4. ALDOBRANDINI, iuniore, Ippolito (1596-1638)

Birth. 1596, Rome. Son of Gianfrancesco Aldobrandini, prince of Rossano, and Olimpia di Pietro. Grand-nephew of Pope Clement VIII (1592-1605); and of Cardinal Giovanni Aldobrandini (1570). Nephew of Cardinals Pietro Aldobrandini (1593) and Cinzio Passeri Aldobrandini (1593). Brother of Cardinal Silvestro Aldobrandini, O.S.Io.Hier. (1603). Other cardinals of the family were Baccio Aldobrandini (1652); and Alessandro Aldobrandini (1730).

Education. (No information found).

Early life. Provost of S. Michele, Parma, March 15, 1621.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal deacon in the consistory of April 19, 1621; received the red hat and the deaconry of S. Maria Nuova, May 17, 1621.

Priesthood. He was ordained a priest on December 8, 1621, in the church of S. Domenico of the monastery of Monte Magnanapoli, in Rome, by Cardinal Ottavio Bandini. Abbot of S. Angelo di Procida, Naples, February 18, 1622. Abbot of S. Maria della Gironda, Bozzoli, Cremona, September 14, 1622. Participated in the conclave of 1623, which elected Pope Urban VIII. Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, June 7, 1623 until his death. Opted for the deaconry of S. Angelo in Pescheria, March 16, 1626. Opted for the deaconry of S. Eustachio, February 6, 1634.

Death. July 19, 1638, near noon, in his Roman residence; suffered from a continuous fever for 11 days. The funeral took place on July 21, 1638 in the basilica of Ss. XII Apostoli and in the evening was transferred to and buried in his family's chapel in the church of S. Maria sopra Minerva, Rome.

Bibliography. Cardella, Lorenzo. Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa. 9 vols. Rome : Stamperia Pagliarini, 1793, VI, 227-228.

Webgraphy. His engravings and arms, Araldica Vaticana; his portrait and genealogy, Geni.com.

©1998-2023 Salvador Miranda.