Not to be confused with his nephew, Niccolò I Ludovisi

Niccolò Ludovisi

Niccolò I Ludovisi was Prince of Piombino from 1634 until his death.-Family:He was the son of Orazio Ludovisi, patrician of Bologna and commander-in-chief of the Papal Army , and Lavinia Albergati. He was the nephew of later-Cardinal Niccolò Albergati-Ludovisi...

 (Prince of Piombino)

Niccolò Albergati-Ludovisi (15 September 1608 - 9 August 1687) was an Italian

Italian people

The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...

 Catholic

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 Archbishop of Bologna. He was a cousin of Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi.

On 6 February 1645 he was appointed Archbishop of Bologna and a month later (6 March 1645) he was elevated to cardinal by 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...

. He served as Cardinal-Priest of Cardinal-Priest at the Basilica di Sant'Agostino and then the Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri

Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri

The Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and the Martyrs is a titular basilica church in Rome, built inside the frigidarium of the Baths of Diocletian. The Cardinal priest of the is William Henry Keeler.- The basilica :...

.

In 1650 he was appointed Major Penitentiary

Apostolic Penitentiary

The Apostolic Penitentiary, formerly called the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Penitentiary, is one of the three tribunals of the Roman Curia. The Apostolic Penitentiary is chiefly a tribunal of mercy, responsible for issues relating to the forgiveness of sins in the Catholic Church.The...

 and in 1683 he was appointed Dean of the College of Cardinals

Dean of the College of Cardinals

The Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals is the president of the College of Cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church, and as such always holds the rank of Cardinal Bishop. The Dean is not necessarily the longest-serving member of the whole College...

. He held both position until his death. Between 1658 and 1659 he served as 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...

.