Birth. Pietradefusi (or Petrafusa), archdiocese of Benevento and was baptized on January 27, 1681, with the names Niccolò Paolo Andrea.

Education. La Sapienza University, Rome (doctorate in utroque iure, both canon and civil law, March 30, 1715).

Priesthood. Ordained, March 28, 1705. Secretary of Cardinal Vincenzo Maria Orsini, archbishop of Benevento, future Pope Benedict XIII. In the archdiocese of Benevento, canon of its cathedral chapter, treasurer, apostolic visitor, archpriest and abbot mitered of S. Lorenzo d'Aprice. Secretary of Memorials, June 7, 1724.

Episcopate. Elected titular archbishop of Traianopoli, June 26, 1724. Consecrated, July 23, 1724, Rome, by Pope Benedict XIII. Assistant at the Pontifical Throne, January 29, 1725.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal priest in the consistory of June 11, 1725; received the red hat and the title of S. Maria in Domnica, deaconry elevated pro illa vice to title, July 23, 1725. Twenty, of the twenty six cardinals present in the consistory, opposed his promotion. Archbishop coadjutor of Benevento, in charge of the government of the archdiocese, retained by Pope Benedict XIII until his death. Prefect of the Congregation of Avignon. Grand cross and commendatario of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. Granted permission to use the pallium of metropolitan archbishop during his coadjutorship, February 21, 1726. Succeeded to the metropolitan see, February 21, 1730. The cardinal's conduct had created a great deal of animosity among the members of the Sacred College of Cardinals (1). When Pope Benedict XIII died, Cardinal Coscia hid in Rome and then fled to Cisterna, in the feud of Prince Michelangelo Gaetani, duke of Caserta, who gave him refuge and protection in spite of the cardinal's behavior. The cardinal threatened the Sacred College that the election of the new pontiff would be void without his vote and was given assurances to allow his participation in the conclave. He took forty days to arrive in Rome together with the duke of Caserta. Participated in the conclave of 1730. Resigned government of the archdiocese, January 8, 1731. Processed and deprived of the cardinalate, he had to pay a hefty indemnity and was sentenced to ten years of prison in Castle Sant'Angelo, Rome. Pope Clement XII excommunicated him on May 9, 1733. The same pope lifted the pain of major excommunication and restored only his active voice in a conclave on February 23, 1734. At the death of Pope Clement XII, he was freed and allowed to participate in the conclave of 1740, which elected Pope Benedict XIV. The new pope reinstated his cardinalate and absolved him of all charges, January 8, 1742. Retired to private life in Naples.

Death. February 8, 1755, Naples. Exposed and buried in the church of Gesù Nuovo, Jesuit professed house, Naples.