(10) 1. NERLI, iuniore, Francesco (1636-1708)

Birth. June 12 (or 13), 1636, Rome (1). Of the Florentine senatorial family of the marquises of Rasina. Eldest child of Pietro Nerli and Constanza Magalotti. The family belonged to the Florentino patriaicate. Nephew of Cardinal Francesco Nerli, seniore (1669).

Education. Studied in Rome with the Dominicand and at the Jesuit Collegio Romano; also studied at the University of Pisa, where he earned a doctorate in utroque iure, both canon and civil law, on September 29, 1655.

Early life. Canon of the cathedral chapter of Florence. Went to Rome and was named abbreviatore del parco maggiore in the pontificate of Pope Alexander VII.

Priesthood. Ordained to the priesthood (no date found). Canon of the patriarchal Vatican basilica, Rome, September 11, 1661. Vice-legate in Bologna, 1664. Referendary of the Tribunals of the Apostolic Signature of Justice and of Grace in the pontificate of Pope Clement IX. Abbot commendatario of the Benedictine monastery of S. Lorenzo, Arena, diocese of Mileto. Abbott comendatario of the Cistercian monastery of Ss. Quattri Coronati, Cingoli.

Episcopate. Elected titular archbishop of Adrianopoli, June 16, 1670. Nuncio to Poland, June 27, 1670. Consecrated, July 6, 1670, church of S. Andrea della Valle, Rome, by Cardinal Carlo Carafa, assisted by Giovanni Spinola, archbishop of Genoa, and by Federico Baldeschi, titular archbishop of Cesarea. In the same ceremony was consecrated Francesco Buonvisi, future cardinal. Assistant at the Pontifical Throne, July 13, 1670. Transferred to the metropolitan see of Florence, December 22, 1670 (2). Nuncio to France, April 20, 1672.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal priest in the consistory of June 12, 1673; received the red hat and the title of S. Matteo in Via Merulana, September 25, 1673. Secretary of State, August 1673 until July 22, 1676. Participated in the conclave of 1676, which elected Pope Innocent XI. Resigned government of the archdiocese of Florence, December 31, 1682. Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals, January 10, 1684 until January 15, 1685. Transferred to the see of Assisi, with personal title of archbishop, October 1, 1685. Participated in the conclave of 1689, which elected Pope Alexander VIII. Resigned government of the diocese of Assisi, November 12, 1689. Participated in the conclave of 1691, which elected Pope Innocent XII. Participated in the conclave of 1700, which elected Pope Clement XI. Archpriest of the patriarchal Vatican basilica, October 16, 1704. Opted for the title of S. Lorenzo in Lucina, November 17, 1704. Cardinal protoprete.

Death. April 8, 1708, of an apoplexy, in his Roman palace in Quattre Fontane. Exposed in the church of S. Susanna, Rome, where the funeral took place on April 10, 1708, and buried in the church of S. Matteo in Via Merulana, Rome (3). Left his wealth to a hospital for the demented.

Bibliography. Cardella, Lorenzo. Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa. 9 vols. Rome : Stamperia Pagliarini, 1793, VII, 220-222.

Webgraphy. Biography by Stefano Tabacchi, in Italian, Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani - Volume 78 (2013), Treccani; his engravings and portrait, Araldica Vaticana.

(1) This is according to Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi, V, 69. Cardella, Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa, VII, 220, indicates that he was born in Florence.
(2) Cardella, Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa, VII, 221, indicates that he was nuncio in Austria and that while in Vienna, he received the news of his appointment as archbishop of Florence. Dictionnaire des cardinaux, col. 1262, says that he was nuncio in Pologne, en Alemagne, en France. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi, only mentions, giving dates, his nunciatures in Poland and France. It is possible that he was nuncio extraordinary in Austria.
(3) According to Cardella, Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa, VII, 222, two years before his death he had prepared for himself a tomb in his new title of S. Lorenzo in Lucina, but later, changed his decision and asked to be buried in his former title of S. Matteo in Via Merulana.

(11) 2. GASTALDI, Girolamo (1616-1685)

Cardinalate. Created cardinal priest in the consistory of June 12, 1673; received the red hat and the title of S. Pudenziana, July 17, 1673. Named legate in Bologna for a triennium, May 9, 1678. Participated in the conclave of 1676, which elected Pope Innocent XI. Opted for the title of S. Anasatasia, September 13, 1677.

Episcopate. Elected archbishop of Benevento, February 19, 1680. Consecrated, May 12, 1680, at the metropolitan cathedral of Bologna, by Cardinal Girolamo Boncompagni, archbishop of Bologna, assisted by Carlo Molza, bishop of Modena, and by Augusto Bellincini, bishop of Reggio Emilia. Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals, January 15, 1685 until his death.

Death. April 8, 1685, at 4 p.m., Borgo, Rome. Exposed in the church of S. Maria in Vallicella, Rome, where the funeral took place on April 10, 1685. Transferred to the church of S. Maria dei Miracoli, Rome, at 2 a.m., and buried in that church. Left his wealth to the ospizio dei convertendi in Borgo.

Bibliography. Cardella, Lorenzo. Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa. 9 vols. Rome : Stamperia Pagliarini, 1793, VII, 222-224.

Webgraphy. Biography by Marcella Marsili, in Italian, Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani - Volume 52 (1999), Treccani; his engraving by Giovanni Maria Morandi, Antiquariat Hille, Berlin; his engraving and arms, Araldica Vaticana; his tomb in S. Maria dei Miracoli, Rome, Requiem Datendbank; next to his brother Benedetto's tomb, The Australian National University.

(12) 3. CASANATE, Girolamo (1620-1700)

Cardinalate. Created cardinal deacon in the consistory of June 12, 1673; received the red hat on June 15, 1673; and the deaconry of S. Maria in Portico Campitelli, July 17, 1673. Granted dispensation for not having yet received the minor orders at the moment of his promotion to the cardinalate, June 12, 1673. Received the subdiaconate, July 2, 1673. Protector of the Congregation of the Monks of Monte Vergine; and of the Congregation of Brothers of Blessed Pietro de Pisis, November 18, 1673. Member of the SS. CC. of Bishops and Regulars, and Rites, 1674-1699; Tridentine Council, 1679-1699; Religious, 1682-1697; Apostolic Vistations, 1682-1699; and Fabric of Saint Peter's Basilica, 1682-1699; Opted for the deaconry of S. Cesareo in Palatio, December 2, 1675. Participated in the conclave of 1676, which elected Pope Innocent XI. Opted for the deaconry of S. Agata in Suburra, April 6, 1682. Pro-vicar general of Rome, 1682. Opted for the order of cardinal priests and the title of Ss. Nereo ed Achilleo, September 16, 1686. Participated in the conclave of 1689, which elected Pope Alexander VIII. Opted for the title of S. Silvestro in Capite, November 7, 1689. Participated in the conclave of 1691, which elected Pope Innocent XII. Librarian of the Holy Roman Church from December 2, 1693 until his death. Prefect of the S.C. of the Index from 1698 until his death. He founded and endowed the Biblioteca Casanetense, and during his life collected over 25,000 volumes which he willed to the Dominicans.

Death. March 3, 1700, at 6 a.m., in his Roman palace next to the monastery of Ss. XII Apostoli. Exposed in the church of S. Maria sopra Minerva, Rome, where the funeral took place on March 4, 1700; transferred in the afternoon to the patriarchal Lateran basilica, and buried there in the tomb he had chosen (2). His heart was deposited in the church of S. Maria sopra Minerva, Rome, with and inscripton that is currently almost illegible.

Bibliography. Angelo, Maria. Il Cardinale Girolamo Casanate (1620-1700). Rome : Industrie grafiche, 1923' Cardella, Lorenzo. Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa. 9 vols. Rome : Stamperia Pagliarini, 1793, VII, 225-227; 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. 325; Ritzler, Remigium, and Pirminum Sefrin. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recientoris Aevi. Volumen V (1667-1730). Patavii : Typis et Sumptibus Domus Editorialis "Il Messaggero di S. Antonio" apud Basilicam S. Antonii, 1952, pp. 8, 49, 51, 52, 54; 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. 117, 164, 174, 225, 375 and 557 .

Webgraphy. Biography by Luciano Ceyssens, in Italian, Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani - Volume 21 (1978), Treccani; biography by Umberto Benigni, in English, The Catholic Encyclopedia; his portrait and brief biographical data, in Italian, Biblioroma; his portrait by Ferdinand Voet, known as 'Ferdinando dei Ritratti', Museu Nacional D'Art de Catalunya; his engraving by Giacomo de' Rossi, Rome, Bildarchiv Austria. Die Bildplattform der Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek; his engraving by Domenico de' Rossi, Rome, Bildarchiv Austria. Die Bildplattform der Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek; his engraving, Bildarchiv Austria. Die Bildplattform der Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek; his engravings and portraits, Araldica Vaticana; his engraving and prosopography, in German, Requiem Datenbank; his tomb in the patriarchal Lateran basilica, Rome, Requiem Datenbank.

(1) This is according to Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi, V, 8, that indicates he died on March 3, 1700, at 80 years and 18 days. The site of The Catholic Encyclopedia, linked above, indicates that he was born on July 13, 1620. His biography in Italian by Ceyssens, linked above, says that he was born on February 13, 1620.
(2) This is the text of the inscription on his tomb, taken from Requiem Datenbank, linked above:

(13) 4. BALDESCHI COLONNA, Federico (1625-1691)

Birth. September 2 (or 4), 1625, Perugia. Son of Jacopo Baldeschi and Artemisia della Concia. Relative of Pope Clement X. Known as Cardinal Colonna because shortly after receiving the cardinalate, he was adopted by his relative the prince Sciarra Colonna di Carbognano. His first last name is also listed as Ubaldi; and hHis last name as Colonna Baldeschi; and as Ubaldi Baldeschi Colonna.

Education. In Perugia started his legal studies.

Early life. After the election of Pope Innocent X, he was called to Rome by Cardinal Giovanni Giacomo Panciroli, secretary of State. Governor of the city of Faenza. Governor of the province of Sabina. Governor of the city of Fabriano. Referendary of the Tribunals of the Apostolic Signature of Justice and of Grace.

Sacred orders. (No information found).

Episcopate. Elected titular archbishop of Cesarea, July 6, 1665. Consecrated, July, 12, 1665, hurch of S. Maria in Vallicella, by Cardinal Federico Sforza, assisted by Giacomo Theodoli, bishop of Forlì, and by Giacinto Cordella, bishop of Venafro. Nuncio to Switzerland from July 15, 1665 until March 1668. Secretary of the S.C. of Propaganda Fide, May 7, 1668. Assessor of the Supreme S.C. of the Roman and Universal Inquisition, March 22, 1673.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal and reserved in pectore in the consistory of June 12, 1673; published in the consistory of December 17, 1674; received the red hat and the title of S. Marcello, January 28, 1675. Prefect of the S.C. of the Tridentine Council, May 4, 1675 until his death. Participated in the conclave of 1676, which elected Pope Innocent XI. Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals, January 11, 1683 until January 10, 1684. Opted for the title of S. Anastasia, April 9 (or October 1), 1685. Participated in the conclave of 1689, which elected Pope Alexander VIII. Entered the conclave of 1691, which elected Pope Innocent XII; he had to leave because of illness on June 29, 1691.

Death. October 4, 1691, at 3 a.m., in the Colonna Sciarra palace, Rome. Exposed in the church of S. Andrea della Valle, Rome, where the funeral took place on October 6, 1691; in the afternoon, transferred to the church of Collegio di Propaganda Fide, Rome, and buried in that church.

Bibliography. Cardella, Lorenzo. Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa. 9 vols. Rome : Stamperia Pagliarini, 1793, VII, 227-228; Fink, Urban. Die Luzerner Nuntiatur 1586-1873 : Zur Behördengeschichte und Quellenkunde der päpstlichen Diplomatie in der Schweiz. Luzern ; Stuttgart : Rex Verlag, 1997. (Collectanea Archivi Vaticani ; Bd. 40) (Luzerner Historische Veröffentlichungen ; Bd. 32); Karttunen, Liisi. Les nonciatures apostoliques permanentes de 1650 à 1800. Genève : E. Chaulmontet, 1912, p. 266; Re, Nicola del. "I cardinali prefetti della sacra congregazione del concilio dalle origini ad oggi (1564-1964)." Apollinaris, XXXVII (1964), p.122.

Webgraphy. Biography by Alberto Merola, in Italian, Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani - Volume 5 (1963), Treccani; his engravings and portrait, Araldica Vaticana.

(14) 5. BASADONNA, Pietro (1617-1684)

Birth. September 17, 1617, Venice. Of a patrician family. Second of the five children of Alvise Basadonna and Maria Trevisan. Uncle of Cardinal Luigi Priuli (1712). His last name is also listedas Basadonius.

Education. His formation included a broad classical culture and had an elegant and erudite conversation and good knowledge of the Greek language and literature.

Early life. When he was an adolescent, he went to Constantinople and stayed there for three years with Bailiff Girolamo Soranzo. Later, he was savio di Terraferma. Became a famous orator. Named ambassador of the Republic of Venice to Spain in 1648; occupied the post until 1652; his embassy marked an improvement in the relations between the two countries; he was named a knight by King Felipe IV of Spain. From May 1655 to the beginning of 1656, he was captain of Brescia. From 1657 to 1660, he was a counselor to the Republic. Named ambassador of Venice before the Holy See in May 1661; occupied the post until November 1663; he worked to decrease tension between the curia and Paris, and to mitigate the mutual intolerance of the pope and the French Ambassador Charles, duke of Créqui. In January 1664, he was named procuratore di S. Marco, the highest post of the Republic of Venice after the doge; he was procurator of the procuratia de ultra. In 1667, together with Andrea Contarini, Nicolò Sagredo Battista Nani, he was part of an extraordinary embassy sent to Rome to congratulate the new Pope Clement IX, with whom he had become a good friend during his mission in Spain, where Archbishop Giulio Riospigliosi was the nuncio. In 1671, he was named reformer at the University of Padua. He also was part, with Marcantonio Giustiniani and Luigi Sagredo, the magistracy over the enfranchisement of the Mint, that the Republic had been forced to set up to deal with the terrible financial situation caused by the rapid growth of public debt. By then, he occupied a position of a certain pre-eminence and authority among the Venetian nobility. He was a layman at the time of his promotion to the cardinalate. He was accompanied by Bishop Alberto Badoaro of Crema and his nephew Gianalberto, future cardinal, in his trip to Rome to receive the cardinalitial insignias.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal deacon in the consistory of June 12, 1673; the pope sent him the red biretta with an apostolic brief dated June 15, 1673; on the following June 29, in a solemn ceremony in the patriarchal basilica of S. Marco, Venice, Vicedoge Nicolò Morosini, the oldest member of the Council, replacing Doge Domenico Contarini, who was indisposed, imposed the red biretta on the new cardinal; he received the red hat on December 5, 1673; and the deaconry of S. Maria in Domnica, January 15, 1674. On June 12, 1673, he was granted dispensation for not having yet received the clerical tonsure at the moment of his promotion to the cardinalate. On the following June 21, he was granted permission to receive the sacred orders outside the Ember days and without time intervals between them; and also granted dispensation for having joined in criminalibus et bellicis activities. Ascribed to the SS. CC. of Bishops, Discipline of the Regulars, Index, Ecclesiastical Immunity, and Sacred Consulta de statu ecclesiastico. Once in Rome, the pope wanted to give him, since Cardinal Basadonna possessed a rather meager income, the contribution proper of the cardinals who were poor, but he refused and to his dignified maintenance provided the Signoria. Participated in the conclave of 1676, which elected Pope Innocent XI.

Death. October 6, 1684 (1), near 4 p.m., in Rome. Exposed in the church of S. Marco, Rome, where the funeral took place on October 8, 1684; and buried on the left side of that same church (2).

Bibliography. Cardella, Lorenzo. Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa. 9 vols. Rome : Stamperia Pagliarini, 1793, VII, 228-229; Moroni, Gaetano. Dizionario di erudizione storico-ecclesiastica da S. Pietro sino ai nostri giorni. 103 vols. in 53. Venezia : Tipografia Emiliana, 1840-1861, IV, 150; Ritzler, Remigium, and Pirminum Sefrin. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recientoris Aevi. Volumen V (1667-1730). Patavii : Typis et Sumptibus Domus Editorialis "Il Messaggero di S. Antonio" apud Basilicam S. Antonii, 1952, pp. 8 and 54.

Webgraphy. Biography by Gino Benzoni, in Italian, Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani - Volume 7 (1970), Treccani; his tomb, Requiem Datenbank; his tomb, The Australian National University; his engraving, Araldica Vaticana.

(1) This is according to Ritzler, Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recientoris Aevi, V, 8 and 54. His biography in Italian by Benzoni, linked above, says that he died on September 26, 1684.
(2) This is the text of the inscription on his tomb, taken from Requiem Datenbank, linked above:

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