Olimpia Maidalchini

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Contemporary portrait of Olimpia Maidalchini by an unknown artist
Contemporary portrait of Olimpia Maidalchini by an unknown artist

Olimpia Maidalchini (May 26, 1594 - September 27, 1657), also spelled Olympia and known as Donna Olimpia, was the sister-in-law of Pope Innocent X Pamphilj (1644-1655).

Contents

[edit] Life

Maidalchini was born in Viterbo, daughter of capitano Sforza Maidalchini, a contractor, and Vittoria Gualterio, patrician of Orvieto and Rome, noble of Viterbo and granddaughter of Sebastiano Gualterio, Bishop of Viterbo, Papal Nuncio to France and the Council of Trent. Her family was not wealthy, but she married two wealthy men. Her second marriage was with Pamphilio Pamphilj, brother of Cardinal Giambattista, the future Pope Innocent X.

After Pamphilio's death, she became Innocent X's effective advisor. The pope elevated to the office of Cardinal Nephew the son, nephew, and cousin of Olimpia Maidalchini: Camillo Francesco Maria Pamphilj, Francesco Maidalchini, and Camillo Astalli, respectively.[1][2] On November 14, 1644, Innocent X made Camillo Pamphilj cardinal-nephew, general of the church, legate to Avignon, secretary of briefs, and prefect of the judicial tribunal known as the Segnatura di Giustizia; Camillo Pamphilj de facto shared the role of secretary of state with Cardinal Giovanni Giacomo Panciroli.[2] However, on January 21, 1647, Camillo renounced the cardinalate to marry Olimpia Aldobrandini, the grand-niece of Pope Clement VIII and widow of Paolo Borghese, on February 10.[2]

Donna Olimpia Maidalchini is a woman of great spirit, but her sole title to influence is that of a rigid economist. When offices fell vacant at court, nothing was decided without her good pleasure; when church livings were to be distributed, the ministers of the dataria had orders to defer all appointments until, notice having been given to her of the nature of those benefices, she might then select such as best pleased her for her own disposal; if episcopal sees were to be conferred, it was to her that the candidates applied; and that which most effectually revolted every upright mind was to see that those were preferred who were most liberal in giving.

Cavalier Giustiniani, 1652[3]

Afterwards, Innocent X promoted Francesco Maidalchini, the 17-year-old cousin of Olimpia Maidalchini, to replace Camillo Pamphilj, but Francesco was viewed as incompetent and his appointment as disgraceful.[2] Thereafter, Innocent X adopted Camillo Astalli, and gave him the prerogatives of the cardinal-nephew on September 19, 1650,[2] including the Palazzo Pamphilj.[3] However, Olimpia had Astalli deposed and sent away from Rome, making herself the "absolute mistress in the house."[3] Maidalchini's influence waned after Innocent X recalled Fabio Chigi from Germany, made him cardinal on February 10, 1652, and then Cardinal Secretary of State; Chigi succeeded Innocent X as Pope Alexander VII.[2]

According to papal historian Ludwig von Pastor, "the misfortune of Pope Pamphilj was that the only person in his family who would have had the qualities necessary to fill such a position was a woman."[2]

[edit] Legacy

Algardi's bust of Maidalchini
Algardi's bust of Maidalchini

Maidalchini's reputation can be seen in her unflattering bust by Alessandro Algardi (circa 1650), currently in the Doria Pamphilj Gallery. Maidalchini was notorious for guarding access to Innocent X, and utilizing it to her own financial benefit. Her veiled attire in the bust is a jab at the fact that neither Maidalchini nor her family provided for the burial of Innocent X after his death in 1655, which was paid for by Innocent X's former butler.[4] In fact, after the death of Innocent X, Maidalchini removed treasures from the papal palace for three days, while the pontiff's body was hidden in a corner.[5]

Some historians describe Innocent X as "entirely under the control" of Maidalchini.[6] This legacy is tied up in the accounts of the Roman Pasquinade as well as French (Innocent X had shunned France in favor of Spain[7] and Protestant sources.[2] The Catholic Encyclopedia refers to Maidalchini as the "great blemish" on the pontificate of the "blameless" Innocent X, whom it styles a "lover of justice."[8] Maidalchini is sometimes referred to as "the papessa" ("lady pope"), a variant of a title also applied to Pasqualina Lehnert (confidant of Pope Pius XII), and (the legendary) Pope Joan.[9] Some sources even allege that Maidalchini was Innocent X's lover, an accusation which goes back to Gregorio Leti's Vita di Donna Olimpia Maidalchini (1666), written under the pseudonym Gualdus,[8] and that she poisoned cardinals (with the help of her pharmacist, Exili) to open up additional vacancies for simony.[9] German historian Leopold von Ranke concluded that she was not Innocent X's lover.[3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Chadwick, Owen (1981). The Popes and European Revolution. Oxford University Press, p. 303. ISBN 0198269196. .
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Philippe, Boutry; Philippe Levillain (2002). "Innocent X", The Papacy: An Encyclopedia. Routledge, pp. 801-802. ISBN 0415922283. .
  3. ^ a b c d Williams, 2004, p. 110.
  4. ^ Harris, Ann Sutherland (2005). Seventeenth-century art & architecture. Laurence King Publishing, p. 93. ISBN 1856694151. .
  5. ^ Williams, George L. (2004). Papal Genealogy: The Families and Descendants of the Popes. McFarland & Company, p. 4. ISBN 0786420715.. .
  6. ^ Stearns, Peter N.; William Leonard Langer (2001). The Encyclopedia of World History: Ancient, Medieval, and Modern, Chronologically Arranged. Houghton Mifflin Books, p. 333. ISBN 0395652375. .
  7. ^ Williams, 2004, p. 109.
  8. ^ a b "Pope Innocent X" in the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia.
  9. ^ a b León, Vicki (1999). Uppity Women of the Renaissance. Conari, p. 55. ISBN 157324127X. .

[edit] External links