(1) 1. BORROMEO, iuniore, Federico (1617-1673)

Birth. May 29, 1617, Milan (1). Of the family of the counts d'Arona. Cousin of Cardinal Giberto Borromeo, seniore (1652). Other cardinals member of the family were Carlo Borromeo (1560); Federico Borromeo, seniore (1587); Giberto Bartolomeo Borromeo (1717); Vitaliano Borromeo (1766); and Edoardo Borromeo (1868).

Education. Studied letters and theology (1623); obtained a doctorate in utroque iure, both canon and civil law (before 1635). Received the clerical habit, 1628. Went to Rome in 1635.

Sacred orders. Received the minor orders in Riva; the subdiaconate, March 28, 1644; and the diaconate, Riva, March 29, 1644.

Early life. He went to Rome in 1635 and was named chamberlain of His Holiness. Referendary of the Tribunals of the Apostolic Signature of Justice and of Grace. Governor of the city of Ascoli, 1643. Governor of Benevento, 1646-1648. Inquisitor in Malta, October 25, 1652. Secretary of the S.C. of Religious Immunity.

Episcopate. Elected titular patriarch of Alexandria, October 19, 1654. Consecrated, November 30, 1654, church of S. Andrea della Valle, Rome, by Cardinal Francesco Peretti, archbishop of Monreale, assisted by Giovanni Battista Poppa, aarchbishop of Benevento, and by Giovanni Battista Scannarolo, titular bishop of Sidon. Declined promotion to the see of Como, 1665. Nuncio to Switzerland, November 28, 1654 until August 20, 1665. Governor of Rome, February 17, 1666 until February 26, 1668. Nuncio to Spain, February 25, 1668 until July 1670. Named secretary of State, May 1670; occupied the post until his death.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal priest in the consistory of December 22, 1670; granted dispensation for having a cousin in the Sacred College of Cardinals, on that same day. Received the red hat and the title of S. Agostino, February 23, 1671. Prefect of the S.C. of Ecclesiastical Immunity from 1671 until his death. Opted for the title of S. Agnese fuori le mura, August 8, 1672. Abbot of Pertica, Pavia; S. Dionigi, Milan; and S. Angelo in Vultu, Melfi.

Death. February 18, 1673, at 9 a.m., in his room of secretary of State, in the Quirinale Palace, Rome. Exposed in the church of S. Carlo al Corso, Rome, where the funeral took place; and buried near the main altar of that church (2).

Bibliography. Biaudet, Henry. Les nonciatures apostoliques permanentes jusqu'en 1648. Helsinki ; Suomalainen tiedeakatemia, 1910, pp. 30, 38 and 235; Cardella, Lorenzo. Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa. 9 vols. Rome : Stamperia Pagliarini, 1793, VII, 203-205; 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); Martinelli, Raffaello. Le Lapidi di San Carlo al Corso : catechesi in immagini. Roma : Arciconfraternità; dei SS. Ambrogio e Carlo, 2007. (Arciconfraternità dei SS. Ambrogio e Carlo; Variation: Arciconfraternità dei SS. Ambrogio e Carlo, p. 175.

Webgraphy. Biography by Georg Lutz, in Italian, Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani - Volume 13 (1971), Treccani; his engravings and arms, Araldica Vaticana; his tomb, church of S. Carlo al Corso, Requiem Datenbank.

(1) This is according to Fink, Die Luzerner Nuntiatur 1586-1873, p. 196, and the Dictionnaire Historique de la Suisse, linked above. Hierarchia Catholic Medii et Recentioris Aevi, V, 7, indicates that he was 56 an., 8 fere m. (fifty-six years and almost eight months) when he died. Cardella, Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa, VII, 204, indicates that he died in 1673 in etá di anni cinquantasette, (at the age of fifty-seven); Biaudet, Les nonciatures apostoliques permanentes jusqu'en 1648, p. 235, indicates that he was born in 1616.
(2) This is the text of the inscription in his sarcophagus in the crypt of that church, taken from Martinelli, Le Lapidi di San Carlo al Corso : catechesi in immagini, p. 174:

(2) 2. MASSIMI, Camillo (1620-1677)

Cardinalate. Created cardinal priest in the consistory of December 22, 1670; received the red hat and the title of S. Maria in Dominca, deaconry elevated pro illa vice to title, February 23, 1671. Opted for the title of S. Eusebio, January 30, 1673. Participated in the conclave of 1676, which elected Pope Innocent XI. Opted for the title of S. Anastasia, October 19, 1676. Superintendent of the fabric of palazzo Altieri, he helped increase the supply of archeological and numismatic materials. Notable collector of coins, manuscripts and books, at the time of his death he had collected 2553 coins, some very valuable for their rarity and historical value. He was considered one of the most knowledgeable experts on Greek and Roman coins and his opinion was sought by other antiquarians of his time.

Death. September 12, 1677, at 3 p.m., in his Roman palace next to Quatrro Fontane. Exposed in the church of S. Andrea della Valle, Rome, where the funeral took place on September 14, 1677, and buried in his family's sepulchre in the patriarchal Lateran basilica, Rome.

Bibliography. Beaven, Lisa. "'É cortesi, erudito, e disinvolto ai pari di qualunque altro buon corteggiano?' : Cardinal Camillo Massimo (1620-1677) at the court of Pope Clement X" in Cutler, Lucy C. "Representing an apernative empire at the court of Cardinal Federico Borromeo in Habsburg Milan" in The possessions of a Cardinal : politics, piety, and art, 1450-1700. Edited by Mary Hollingsworth & Carol M. Richardson. University Park, Pa. : Pennsylvania State University Press, 2010, p. 309-327; Cardella, Lorenzo. Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa. 9 vols. Rome : Stamperia Pagliarini, 1793, VII, 205-206.

Webgraphy. His portrait by Carlo Maratta, MutualArt; his portrait as a private chamberlain of Pope Innocent X, by Diego Valázquez, National Trust Collection, Kingston Lacy; his portrait by Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez, in "Velázquez, The Complete Works". his portrait, Alamy Stock Photo; his effigy on a medal, 1678, commemorating the death of the cardinal, by Giovan Battista Guglielmada, icollector.com; his engravings and portraits, Araldica Vatican.

(3) 3. CARPEGNA, Gasparo (1625-1714)

Birth. May 8, 1625, Rome. Of the family of the counts of Carpegna. Son of Francesco Maria Carpegna and Marzia Spada. Relative of Cardinal Ulderico Carpegna (1633), who belonged to another branch of the family. His first name is also listed as Gaspare; and his last name as Carpineo. His sister Virginia married Antonio Altieri, nephew of Pope Clement X.

Education. He first studied literature; and then, law, obtaining a doctorate in utroque iure, both canon and civil law.

Eraly life. He entered the Roman prelature and obtained the commenda of the Abbey of S. Maria della Vittoria in Marsi.

Priesthood. Ordained to the priesthood (no date found). Referendary of the Tribunals of the Apostolic Signature of Justice and of Grace. Canon of the patriarchal Vatican basilica, May 5, 1658. Secretary of the S.C. of Waters. Auditor of the Sacred Roman Rota December 10, 1664. Consultor of the S.C. of the Roman and Universal Inquisition in the pontificate of Pope Clement X. Datary of His Holiness.

Episcopate. Elected titular archbishop of Nicea, retaining the posts of auditor of the Sacred Roman Rota and papal datary, June 16, 1670. Consecrated, June 22, 1670, church of S. Silvestro in Capite, Rome, by Cardinal Paluzzo Paluzzi Altieri degli Albertoni, archbishop of Ravenna, assisted by Stefano Ugolini, titular patriarch of Constantinople, and by Francesco Marini, bishop of Molfetta. Assistant at the Pontifical Throne, July 1670.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal priest in the consistory of December 22, 1670; received the red hat and the title of S. Maria in Portico Campitelli, deaconry elevated pro illa vice to title, February 23, 1671. Opted for the title of S. Pudenziana, March 18, 1671. Vicar general of Rome, August 12, 1671. Opted for the title of S. Silvestro in Capite, November 14, 1672. Prefect of the S.C. of Bishops and Regulars, January 10, 1675. Participated in the conclave of 1676, which elected Pope Innocent XI. Prefect of the S.C. of Ecclesiastical Immunity from 1676? until his death. Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals, January 13, 1681 until January 12, 1682. Participated in the conclave of 1689, which elected Pope Alexander VIII. Participated in the conclave of 1691, which elected Pope Innocent XII. Opted for the title of S. Maria in Trastevere, October 19, 1689. Opted for the order of cardinal bishops and the suburbicarian see of Sabina, January 27, 1698. Prefect of the S.C. of Rites and Ceremonies from July 1700 until his death. Participated in the conclave of 1700, which elected Pope Clement XI. Prefect of the S.C. of the Residence of Bishops from 1708 (?) until his death.

Death. April 6, 1714, at 3 a.m., in his Roman palace. Exposed in the church of S. Maria in Vallicella, Rome, where the funeral took place on April 9, 1714, and buried in the tomb of his family in the chapel dell'Incoronazione, in that same church.

Bibliography. Cardella, Lorenzo. Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa. 9 vols. Rome : Stamperia Pagliarini, 1793, VII, 206-208.

Webgraphy. Biography by Giovanni Romeo, in Italian, Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani - Volume 20 (1977), Treccani; his engraving by Alber Clouet, Antiquariat Hille, Berlin; his engraving, portrait arms and biography, in Italian, Araldica Vaticana.

©1998-2023 Salvador Miranda.