(52) 1. CARACCIOLO, Niccolò (1658-1728)

Birth. November 8, 1658, Villa Santa Maria, diocese of Teano. Baptized on November 30, 1658. His last name is also listed as Carracciolo. Of the branch of the dukes of Melfi, his father was the 5th prince of Villa Santa. His mother, Zenobia del Giudice, was a sister of Cardinal Francesco del Giudice (1690). Cousin of Cardinal Niccolò del Giudice (1725). Other cardinals of the family were Marino Ascanio Caracciolo (1535); Innico Caracciolo, seniore (1666); Innico Caracciolo, iuniore (1715); Giovanni Costanzio Caracciolo (1759); Diego Innico Caracciolo (1800); and Filippo Giudice Caracciolo, Orat. (1833).

Education. Seminario Romano, Rome; University of Naples, Naples (doctorate in utroque iure, both canon and civil law, March 15, 1684).

Priesthood. Ordained (no information found). Referendary of the Tribunals of the Apostolic Signature of Justice and of Grace. Governor of Fabriano, September 19, 1691. President of Montalto, January 2, 1693. Governor of Ancona, June 28, 1695. Governor of Viterbo, November 23, 1697. Governor of Perugia and Umbria, November 7, 1698. Provincial governor of Marca Anconitana, May 23, 1699.

Episcopate. Elected titular archbishop of Tessalonica, May 10, 1700. Consecrated, June 6, 1700, Rome, by Cardinal Fabrizio Paolucci. Assistant at the Pontifical Throne, June 9, 1700. Nuncio in Tuscany, June 25, 1700 until March 14, 1703. Transferred to the metropolitan see of Capua, April 23, 1703. Vice-gerent of Rome, December 4, 1712 until December 16, 1715. Regent of the vicariate of Rome, April 6, 1714.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal priest in the consistory of December 16, 1715; with dispensation for having an uncle who was a living cardinal. Pro-vicar general of Rome, December 18, 1715 until his resignation, December 6, 1717. Received the red hat and the title of S. Martino ai Monti, February 5, 1716. Returned to his see of Capua. Participated in the conclave of 1721, which elected Pope Innocent XIII. Did not participate in the conclave of 1724, which elected Pope Benedict XIII.

Death. February 7, 1728, Capua. Buried in the metropolitan cathedral of Capua.

Bibliography. Del Re, Niccolò. Il vicegerente del vicariato di Roma. Rome : Istituto di Studi Romani Editore, 1976, p. 64; Ilari, A. "I cardinali vicari. Cronologia bibliografica." Rivista diocesana di Roma, 3 (1962), p. 282.

Link. His engraving by an anonymous artist.

(53) 2. PATRIZI, Giambattista (1658-1727)

Birth. December 24, 1658, Rome. Of a Sienese family. Cousin of Cardinal Lorenzo Corsini (1706), future Pope Clement XII.

Education. University of Siena, Siena (doctorates in philosophy, June 19, 1680; law, June 22, 1680; and theology, June 24, 1680).

Early life. Relator of the S.C. of Good Government in the pontificate of Pope Innocent XI. Commissary of health of the Holy See, January 8, 1691. Cleric of the Apostolic Chamber. Governor of Perugia and Umbria, June 5, 1699. Referendary of the Tribunals of the Apostolic Signatures of Justice and Grace. Vice-legate in Urbino. Received the minor orders, January 15, 1702; subdiaconate, January 22, 1702; diaconate, January 29, 1702.

Priesthood. Ordained, February 2, 1702.

Episcopate. Elected titular archbishop of Seleucia, February 6, 1702. Consecrated (no information found). Nuncio in Naples, February 17, 1702. Assistant at the Pontifical Throne, March 5, 1702. Administrator of the archdiocese of Naples, December 13, 1702. Treasurer general of the Apostolic Chamber, April 2, 1708.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal priest in the consistory of December 16, 1715; received the red hat and the title of Ss. Quattri Coronati, February 5, 1716. Granted dispensation to be created a cardinal while having a cousin who also was a cardinal, December 16, 1715. Legate in Ferrara, January 10, 1718; legation prorogated for a triennium, May 28, 1721; and for another triennium, June 12, 1724. Participated in the conclave of 1721, which elected Pope Innocent XIII. Participated in the conclave of 1724, which elected Pope Benedict XIII.

Death. July 31, 1727, Ferrara. Exposed and buried in the cathedral of Ferrara. Apparently, later transferred to the patriarchal Liberian basilica, Rome.

Links. His engraving by Pietro Nelli and Girolamo Rossi; and his tomb, in the patriarchal Liberian basilica, Rome.

(54) 3. NUZZI, Ferdinando (1644-1717)

Birth. September 9, 1644, Orte. His last name is also listed as Nuptio. Went to Rome in 1653.

Education. La Sapienza University, Rome (doctorate in utroque iure, both canon and civil law).

Priesthood. Ordained (no information found). Lawyer of the Roman Curia. Commissary general of the Apostolic Chamber, November 2, 1688. Canon of the patriarchal Vatican basilica in the pontificate of Pope Innocent XI. Referendary of the Tribunals of the Apostolic Signature of Justice and of Grace, November 9, 1691. Secretary of the S.C. of the Tridentine Council in the pontificate of Pope Innocent XII. Assessor of the Supreme S.C. of the Roman and Universal Inquisition, 1700. Cleric of the Apostolic Chamber and president of the Annona, January 2, 1702. Consultor of the Supreme S.C. of the Roman and Universal Inquisition. Voter of the Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature. Pro-treasurer general of the Apostolic Chamber in the absence of the treasurer. Secretary of the S.C. of Bishops and Regulars. Secretary of the Congregation of Waters. Corrector of the Apostolic Penitentiary.

Episcopate. Elected titular archbishop of Nicea, June 7, 1706. Consecrated (no information found). Assistant at the Pontifical Throne, June 24, 1706.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal priest in the consistory of December 16, 1715; received the red hat and the title of S. Pudenziana, February 5, 1716. Transferred to the see of Orvieto, with personal title of archbishop, March 30, 1716.

Death. December 1, 1717, Orvieto. Exposed and buried in the cathedral of Orvieto.

(55) 4. SPINOLA, Nicolò Gaetano (1659-1735)

Birth. February 20, 1659, Madrid, Spain (1). Baptized on that same day. Of a patrician Genoese family. Nephew of Cardinal Giambattista Spinola, seniore (1681). Other cardinals of the family were Giandomenico Spinola (1626); Giulio Spinola (1666); Giambattista Spinola, iuniore (1695); and Giovanni Battista Spinola (1733).

Education. La Sapienza University, Rome (doctorate in utroque iure, both canon and civil law, February 20, 1687).

Early life. Relator of the Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature and of the S.C. of Good Government. Apostolic visitor to the cities of Todi and Spoleto. Vicar of the basilica of S. Maria in Trastevere. President of the Apostolic Chamber, September 20, 1695. Cleric of the Apostolic chamber, March 2, 1696.

Priesthood. Ordained, October 3, 1706.

Episcopate. Elected titular archbishop of Tebe, October 4, 1706. Consecrated, 1706 (no further information found). Nuncio in Tuscany, October 30, 1706. Assistant at the Pontifical Throne, November 1, 1706. Nuncio in Poland, September 6, 1707. Auditor general of the Apostolic Chamber, July 1, 1712.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal priest in the consistory of December 16, 1715; received the red hat and the title of S. Sisto, June 8, 1716. Participated in the conclave of 1721, which elected Pope Innocent XIII. Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals, January 17, 1724; confirmed for another year, January 29, 1725 until February 20, 1726. Participated in the conclave of 1724, which elected Pope Benedict XIII. Opted for the title of Ss. Nereo ed Achilleo, January 29, 1725. Participated in the conclave of 1730, which elected Pope Clement XII.

Death. April 12, 1735, near 8 p.m., Rome. Exposed in the church of S. Andrea della Valle, Rome, where the funeral took place on April 14, 1735, and buried near the door of the church of the Pontifical Urbanian Athenaeum of Propaganda Fide, Rome.

(1) This is according to Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi, V, 374, and Guitarte, Episcopologio Español (1700-1867), p. 20. Cardella, Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa, VIII, 167, indicates that he was born in Genoa.

©1998-2008 Salvador Miranda.