Giulio Cesare Sacchetti
Encyclopedia
Giulio Cesare Sacchetti (1586 - 28 June 1663) was an Italian Catholic
Cardinal
and was twice unsuccessfully nominated by France
for election as Pope
.
patrician
s who had moved to Rome in the late sixteenth century. His elder brother, Marcello Sacchetti, was papal treasurer to Pope Urban VIII
and a prominent patron of the arts until his death in 1629. From 1633, the Sacchetti joined the ranks of the Roman nobility. Giulio was the uncle of Cardinal Urbano Sacchetti.
Educated at the University of Perugia
and the University of Pisa
, he was ordained in 1623 and elected Bishop of Gravina
. He became a cardinal only three years later.
. He was appointed as papal legate to Ferarra from 1627 to 1631 and to Bologna
from 1637 until 1640.
He held a number of senior positions within the Holy See
including Prefect of the Sacred Consulta of Religious Immunity, the Sacred Consulta of Rites and the Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature of Justice. From 1641 to 1642 he was appointed Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals
.
In 1652 he was appointed Cardinal-Priest of Frascati
, a position he held until 1655 when he was appointed Cardinal Priest of Sabina
.
He was appointed to the special council assembled to fight the plague in the papal states and was Prefect of the Tridentine Council from 1661 until his death.
, at the instruction of Cardinal Mazarin) the French first minister, as the French
nomination for the papacy at the papal conclave of 1644
. He was not a popular choice with the people of Rome who were afraid he would pursue Barberini policies and practices if elected. To this end they devised a slogan: 'Don't make Sacchetti pope or Rome will fall to pieces'. Spain, fearing he would be pro-French vetoed his nomination via its representative Cardinal Gil de Albornoz
. The conclave instead elected Giovanni Battista Pamphili who took the papal throne as Pope Innocent X
. Mazarin attempted to use the French veto against Pamphili who apparently favoured the Spanish, but it arrived too late. Despite his close association with the Barberini
family who suffered under Innocent X, Giulio Sacchetti's career continued to flourish.
When Innocent X died, Sacchetti was again presented as the French candidate at the papal conclave of 1655
but when it became apparent that he did not have a majority, he asked Mazarin to give his support to Fabio Chigi
who was duly elected and took the name of Pope Alexander VII
.
in Rome.
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
and was twice unsuccessfully nominated by France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
for election as Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
.
Early life
Sacchetti was born in 1586, the second surviving son of Giovanni Battista Sacchetti and Francesca Altoviti, both FlorentineFlorence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
patrician
Patrician
The term patrician originally referred to a group of elite families in ancient Rome, including both their natural and adopted members. In the late Roman Empire, the class was broadened to include high council officials, and after the fall of the Western Empire it remained a high honorary title in...
s who had moved to Rome in the late sixteenth century. His elder brother, Marcello Sacchetti, was papal treasurer to Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII , born Maffeo Barberini, was pope from 1623 to 1644. He was the last pope to expand the papal territory by force of arms, and was a prominent patron of the arts and reformer of Church missions...
and a prominent patron of the arts until his death in 1629. From 1633, the Sacchetti joined the ranks of the Roman nobility. Giulio was the uncle of Cardinal Urbano Sacchetti.
Educated at the University of Perugia
University of Perugia
University of Perugia is a public-owned university based in Perugia, Italy. It was founded in 1308, as attested by the Bull issued by Pope Clement V certifying the birth of the Studium Generale....
and the University of Pisa
University of Pisa
The University of Pisa , located in Pisa, Tuscany, is one of the oldest universities in Italy. It was formally founded on September 3, 1343 by an edict of Pope Clement VI, although there had been lectures on law in Pisa since the 11th century...
, he was ordained in 1623 and elected Bishop of Gravina
Diocese of Gravina and Montepeloso
The diocese of Gravina and Montepeloso is a former ecclesiastical territory in Puglia, southern Italy. Since 1986 it is part of the diocese of Altamura-Gravina-Acquaviva...
. He became a cardinal only three years later.
Elevation to cardinal
Sacchetti was elevated to cardinal on 19 January 1626 and was named Cardinal-Priest of Santa SusannaSanta Susanna
The Church of Saint Susanna at the baths of Diocletian is a Roman Catholic parish church on the Quirinal Hill in Rome, with a titulus associated to its site that dates back to about 280...
. He was appointed as papal legate to Ferarra from 1627 to 1631 and to Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
from 1637 until 1640.
He held a number of senior positions within the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
including Prefect of the Sacred Consulta of Religious Immunity, the Sacred Consulta of Rites and the Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature of Justice. From 1641 to 1642 he was appointed Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals
Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals
The Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals was the treasurer of that body.He administered all property, fees, funds and revenue belonging to the College of Cardinals, celebrated the requiem Mass for a deceased cardinal and was charged with the registry of the Acta Consistoralia.It is...
.
In 1652 he was appointed Cardinal-Priest of Frascati
Roman Catholic Suburbicarian Diocese of Frascati
The Diocese of Frascati is a suburbicarian see of the Holy Roman Church and a diocese of the Catholic Church in Italy, based at Frascati, near Rome. The bishop of Frascati is a Cardinal Bishop; from the Latin name of the area, the bishop has also been called Bishop of Tusculum. The bishopric in...
, a position he held until 1655 when he was appointed Cardinal Priest of Sabina
Roman Catholic Suburbicarian Diocese of Sabina-Poggio Mirteto
The Diocese of Sabina-Poggio Mirteto a suburbicarian see of the Holy Roman Church and a diocese of the Catholic Church in Italy. Since 1842 the Cardinal Bishop of Sabina also bears the title of Abbot of Farfa...
.
He was appointed to the special council assembled to fight the plague in the papal states and was Prefect of the Tridentine Council from 1661 until his death.
Papal conclaves
Sacchetti was presented by Antonio BarberiniAntonio Barberini
Antonio Barberini was an Italian Catholic cardinal, Archbishop of Reims, military leader, patron of the arts and a prominent member of the House of Barberini. As one of the cardinal-nephews of Pope Urban VIII and a supporter of France, he played a significant role at a number of the papal...
, at the instruction of Cardinal Mazarin) the French first minister, as the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
nomination for the papacy at the papal conclave of 1644
Papal conclave, 1644
The papal conclave of 1644 was the papal conclave of Cardinals called on the death of Pope Urban VIII. It lasted from 9 August to 15 September 1644 and eventually chose Giovanni Battista Pamphili, who took office as Pope Innocent X.- Urban's influence :...
. He was not a popular choice with the people of Rome who were afraid he would pursue Barberini policies and practices if elected. To this end they devised a slogan: 'Don't make Sacchetti pope or Rome will fall to pieces'. Spain, fearing he would be pro-French vetoed his nomination via its representative Cardinal Gil de Albornoz
Cardinal Gil de Albornoz
thumb|Cardinal Gil de AlbornozGil de Albornoz was a Spanish Catholic Cardinal who led the Spanish delegation within the College of Cardinals at the Papal Conclave of 1644.-Biography:...
. The conclave instead elected Giovanni Battista Pamphili who took the papal throne as Pope Innocent X
Pope Innocent X
Pope Innocent X , born Giovanni Battista Pamphilj , was Pope from 1644 to 1655. Born in Rome of a family from Gubbio in Umbria who had come to Rome during the pontificate of Pope Innocent IX, he graduated from the Collegio Romano and followed a conventional cursus honorum, following his uncle...
. Mazarin attempted to use the French veto against Pamphili who apparently favoured the Spanish, but it arrived too late. Despite his close association with the Barberini
Barberini
The Barberini are a family of the Italian nobility that rose to prominence in 17th century Rome. Their influence peaked with the election of Cardinal Maffeo Barberini to the papal throne in 1623, as Pope Urban VIII...
family who suffered under Innocent X, Giulio Sacchetti's career continued to flourish.
When Innocent X died, Sacchetti was again presented as the French candidate at the papal conclave of 1655
Papal conclave, 1655
The Papal conclave of 1655 was the papal conclave of Cardinals called on the death of Pope Innocent X. The conclave elected Fabio Chigi, who took office as Alexander VII.- History :...
but when it became apparent that he did not have a majority, he asked Mazarin to give his support to Fabio Chigi
Chigi
Chigi may refer to:* Chigi , a crossbreed between a Welsh Corgi and a chihuahua * House of Chigi, a Roman princely family* Chigi , an element in Japanese architecture...
who was duly elected and took the name of Pope Alexander VII
Pope Alexander VII
Pope Alexander VII , born Fabio Chigi, was Pope from 7 April 1655, until his death.- Early life :Born in Siena, a member of the illustrious banking family of Chigi and a great-nephew of Pope Paul V , he was privately tutored and eventually received doctorates of philosophy, law, and theology from...
.
Death and burial
Sacchetti died 28 June 1663 in Rome and was buried at the Florentine church of San Giovanni dei FiorentiniSan Giovanni dei Fiorentini
San Giovanni dei Fiorentini, St John of the Florentines, is a church in the Ponte rione or district of Rome. Dedicated to St John the Baptist, the protector of Florence, the new church for the Florentine community in Rome was started in the 16th century and completed in early eighteenth and is the...
in Rome.