Antonio Barberini
Encyclopedia
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-nephew
s of Pope Urban VIII
and a supporter of France
, he played a significant role at a number of the papal conclave
s of the 17th century. With his brothers Cardinal Francesco Barberini
and Taddeo Barberini
he helped to shape politics, religion, art and music of 17th century Italy
. He is sometimes referred to as Antonio the Younger or Antonio Barberini iuniore to distinguish him from his uncle Antonio Marcello Barberini
.
, the youngest of 6 children to Carlo Barberini and Costanza Magalotti (sister of Lorenzo Magalotti).
. Almost immediately, he elevated his brother, Antonio's other uncle, Antonio Marcello Barberini
to the position of cardinal. In the tradition of cardinal nephews
, Urban also elevated Antonio's older brother Francesco Barberini
to the rank of cardinal.
Urban's famous nepotism wasn't sufficiently quelled by the appointment of one cardinal-nephew. Less than a month after his 20th birthday and without having established a ecclesiastic career of his own, Antonio Barberini was appointed as a cardinal on 30 August 1627. His elevation was made in pectore
and was published on 7 February 1628. Urban also purchased the comune
of the town of Palestrina
outside Rome, and Antonio's other brother, Taddeo Barberini
, became the Prince of Palestrina.
In 1628, Antonio was appointed Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura
, in 1630 he was made the papal legate in Urbino
and in 1633 he became legate in Avignon
where he developed close contacts with various French church power brokers. During his time in France he became unwell and employed Joseph Barsalou
as his private physician. He returned to Rome and assumed the post of Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church in 1638. In 1636, against the wish of his uncle the Pope, he accepted the post of Crown-Cardinal-Protector
of the Kingdom of France.
In 1639 Odoardo Farnese
, Duke of Parma and Piacenza
, came to Rome. During his visit he insulted Antonio and his brother Francesco. Pope Urban responded by banning grain shipments from Farnese controlled areas. When the Farnese were then unable to pay their debts the Pope sent debt collectors. Finally the Pope send troops to occupy Castro. The Pope's forces were led by Antonio, his brother Taddeo and mercenary
field commander Luigi Mattei
.
Castro fell to Urban's forces without significant resistance and the victory was celebrated in song by Barberini
family composer, Marco Marazzoli
. But the victory was short lived and thereafter Antonio and his troops suffered a series of decisive losses. Pope Urban was forced to accept defeat and signed a peace treaty
with the Farnese Dukes in an attempt to prevent them from marching on Rome itself. When Urban died, the Church
was facing financial struggle, the cardinals (despite francophile
Urban's nepotism) were divided between France and Spain and the Farnese were moving toward Rome with a mercenary army in tow.
and for the nomination of Giulio Cesare Sacchetti
at the papal conclave of 1644
which was to pick his uncle's successor. But his efforts were in vain and the Spanish nominee, Giovanni Battista Pamphili (of the powerful Pamphili
family), was elected as Pope Innocent X
.
Antonio's brother Francesco had sided with the Spanish and split the conclave and it was his negotiations that resulted in Pamphili's election. The final deal in Pamphili's favour included an agreement, designed by the brothers for their own benefit, that the new Pope would allow the Barberini to keep the titles, land and fortunes they had amassed under Pope Urban VIII's reign. Mazarin became so angry because of Antonio's attitude that he deprived him of the protectorate of the Kingdom of France. However, the conflict was of short duration and both cardinals quickly reconciled with each other.
For reasons unknown, Pope Innocent X
reneged on the deal done with the brothers and Antonio and his brother Taddeo were accused of financial abuses during the War of Castro. The two went into exile in 1645 in Paris
under the protection of Cardinal Mazarin, and were joined a year later by Francesco . Taddeo Barberini
's wife, Anna Colonna
made a passionate plea, in person, to the Pope and the Barberini
were granted permission to keep their property but the family remained in exile until 1647. The family was finally reconciled with Pope in 1653 when Antonio's nephew (Taddeo's son) Maffeo Barberini married the Pope's grand-niece Olimpia Giustiniani
.
and the conclave
. Again, Antonio and the French nominated Giulio Cesare Sacchetti
but he was vetoed by the Spanish. The fractured college came together to support Fabio Chigi, who was elected and took office as Pope Alexander VII
.
Later that year he was ordained Cardinal-Bishop of Frascati
. About that time he changed his dissolute lifestyle, devoted himself to religion and became strongly involved in the campaign against Jansenism.
King Louis XIV of France
had previously nominated him (in 1653) as Bishop of Poitiers
but the nomination was never ratified by the Holy See
. Four years later, (1657) the King brought him back to France and transferred him to the Archdiocese of Reims but it took a further decade (1667) before the pope confirmed the post. For many years he served as Grand Almoner of the Kingdom of France
.
In 1661 he was appointed Cardinal-Bishop of Palestrina
, the diocese that covered the Barberini family comune
of Palestrina
.
which saw the French delegation successfully campaign for the election of Giulio Rospigliosi, who took the papal throne as Pope Clement IX
. He also participated in the conclave of 1669-1679 at which Emilio Altieri was elected as Pope Clement X
. He became Vice-Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals in March 1671; the dean at that time was his older brother Francesco.
He died in Nemi
on 3 August 1671, two days before his 64th birthday.
, "The great inclination he has had to women hath been no small blemish to his reputation".
According to the controversial anonymous text, The Scarlet Gown (a tabloid published in 1653 listing the vices of each living cardinal of the day), Barberini had a number of mistress
es including one he had whipped for flaunting herself during Carnivale and another who died mysteriously while carrying his child.
Barberini was also, apparently, involved in several affairs with young men. He became particularly intimate with the castrato
singer Marc'Antonio Pasqualini
in the early 1640s. Contemporary testimony leaves little doubt that the "veritable passion" the cardinal felt extended to more than Pasqualini's beautiful voice. However, in his later life he underwent conversion, changed his lifestyle and became deeply religious.
Antonio Barberini was patron to a number of significant musicians and composers of 17th century Rome
including Marco Marazzoli
who he commissioned to compose various works which praised the actions of the Barberini
family. Marazzoli was appointed Antonio Barberini's aiutante di camera
and became a tenor in the papal chapel that same year; in 1639 he was awarded the position of musico under Pope Urban VIII
. Marazzoli composed Le armi e gli amori to be given at Carnival 1655, but the papal conclave of 1655
interrupted production, and it was not given until 1656, alongside Dal male e bene and Marazzoli's latest opera, Vita humana which was composed to honor the visit of Queen Christina of Sweden.
Fiori musicali
was dedicated to Antonio Barberini in 1635. He was also said to have been a patron of Luigi Rossi.
Outside their intimate relationship, Antonio Barberini was an ongoing patron of Marc'Antonio Pasqualini
.
In 1627, the Barberini family commissioned the architect Carlo Maderno
to adapt and extend the Palazzo Sforza that they had purchased, into the Palazzo Barberini
. In this work, Maderno was assisted by his relative Francesco Borromini
. When Maderno died in 1629, Borromini was passed over and the commission was awarded to Bernini, a young prodigy then better known as a sculptor. Borromini stayed on and the two architects worked together; later in their careers fierce rivalries would develop. The palace was completed in 1633.
Prior to his election, Pope Urban VIII had been a member of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith
. Antonio Barberini was appointed prefect of the Congregation and set about commissioning a new palace, the Palazzo del Propaganda Fide. The construction was started by close Barberini family friend Gianlorenzo Bernini. In 1644, when Antonio was exiled, Bernini was replaced by Borromini who demolished Bernini's chapel and built his own design; the chapel is considered one of Borromini's masterpieces.
Antonio and his brothers also commissioned the Teatro delle Quattro Fontane
(or Theatre of the Four Fountains); an opera house
in Rome
and built in 1632. It was located in Via delle Quattro Fontane, near the Piazza Barberini
and the Quattro Fontane
or Four Fountains.
Though Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio
died when Antonio Barberini was only 3 years old, the Cardinal later became a great admirer of his work and his extensive art collection included Caravaggio's paintings such as Still Life with Fruit
, Cardsharps
and The Lute Player
. Antonio had purchased the art collection of Francesco Maria Del Monte
upon the cardinal's death which had included a large number of important works. Pope Urban VIII had purchased a number of works directly from Carravaggio and it is likely Antonio also inherited a number of these.
Antonio commissioned Lorenzo Ottoni
to complete a number of Barberini
family sculptures including that of his nephew Maffeo Barberini.
Antonio and his uncle also commissioned the painter Andrea Sacchi
to complete various works at Antonio's Capuchin
church and at the Palazzo Barberini
. Today the Palazzo Barberini houses the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica
, one of the most important painting collections in Italy
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...
, Archbishop of Reims, military leader, patron of the arts and a prominent member of the House of 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...
. As one of the cardinal-nephew
Cardinal-nephew
A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to...
s of 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 supporter of France
Kingdom of France
The Kingdom of France was one of the most powerful states to exist in Europe during the second millennium.It originated from the Western portion of the Frankish empire, and consolidated significant power and influence over the next thousand years. Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, developed a...
, he played a significant role at a number of the papal conclave
Papal conclave
A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a Bishop of Rome, who then becomes the Pope during a period of vacancy in the papal office. The Pope is considered by Roman Catholics to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church...
s of the 17th century. With his brothers Cardinal Francesco Barberini
Francesco Barberini (seniore)
Francesco Barberini was an Italian Catholic Cardinal. The nephew of Pope Urban VIII , he benefited immensely from the nepotism practiced by his uncle...
and Taddeo Barberini
Taddeo Barberini
Taddeo Barberini was an Italian nobleman of the House of Barberini who became Prince of Palestrina and Gonfalonier of the Church; commander of the Papal Army. He was a nephew of Pope Urban VIII and brother of Cardinals Francesco Barberini and Antonio Barberini...
he helped to shape politics, religion, art and music of 17th century Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. He is sometimes referred to as Antonio the Younger or Antonio Barberini iuniore to distinguish him from his uncle Antonio Marcello Barberini
Antonio Marcello Barberini
Antonio Marcello Barberini was an Italian cardinal and the younger brother of Maffeo Barberini, later Pope Urban VIII. He is sometimes referred to as Antonio the Elder to distinguish him from his nephew Antonio Barberini.Born Marcello Barberini in Florence into the Barberini family, he entered the...
.
Early life
Antonio Barberini was born 5 August 1607 in RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, the youngest of 6 children to Carlo Barberini and Costanza Magalotti (sister of Lorenzo Magalotti).
Pontificate of Urban VIII
Barberini's uncle, Maffeo Barberini was elected as pope on 6 August 1623 (the day after Antonio's 16th birthday) and took the papal throne as Pope Urban VIIIPope 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...
. Almost immediately, he elevated his brother, Antonio's other uncle, Antonio Marcello Barberini
Antonio Marcello Barberini
Antonio Marcello Barberini was an Italian cardinal and the younger brother of Maffeo Barberini, later Pope Urban VIII. He is sometimes referred to as Antonio the Elder to distinguish him from his nephew Antonio Barberini.Born Marcello Barberini in Florence into the Barberini family, he entered the...
to the position of cardinal. In the tradition of cardinal nephews
Cardinal-nephew
A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to...
, Urban also elevated Antonio's older brother Francesco Barberini
Francesco Barberini (seniore)
Francesco Barberini was an Italian Catholic Cardinal. The nephew of Pope Urban VIII , he benefited immensely from the nepotism practiced by his uncle...
to the rank of cardinal.
Urban's famous nepotism wasn't sufficiently quelled by the appointment of one cardinal-nephew. Less than a month after his 20th birthday and without having established a ecclesiastic career of his own, Antonio Barberini was appointed as a cardinal on 30 August 1627. His elevation was made in pectore
In pectore
In pectore is a term used in the Catholic Church to refer to appointments to the College of Cardinals by the Pope when the name of the newly appointed cardinal is not publicly revealed...
and was published on 7 February 1628. Urban also purchased the comune
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
of the town of Palestrina
Palestrina
Palestrina is an ancient city and comune with a population of about 18,000, in Lazio, c. 35 km east of Rome...
outside Rome, and Antonio's other brother, Taddeo Barberini
Taddeo Barberini
Taddeo Barberini was an Italian nobleman of the House of Barberini who became Prince of Palestrina and Gonfalonier of the Church; commander of the Papal Army. He was a nephew of Pope Urban VIII and brother of Cardinals Francesco Barberini and Antonio Barberini...
, became the Prince of Palestrina.
In 1628, Antonio was appointed Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura
Apostolic Signatura
The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura is the highest judicial authority in the Catholic Church...
, in 1630 he was made the papal legate in Urbino
Urbino
Urbino is a walled city in the Marche region of Italy, south-west of Pesaro, a World Heritage Site notable for a remarkable historical legacy of independent Renaissance culture, especially under the patronage of Federico da Montefeltro, duke of Urbino from 1444 to 1482...
and in 1633 he became legate in Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
where he developed close contacts with various French church power brokers. During his time in France he became unwell and employed Joseph Barsalou
Joseph Barsalou (physician)
-Biography :Joseph Barsalou was born in Agen in the south west of France. He came from a family of apothecaries that was originally from Narbonne. Joseph Barsalou received no formal medical training. His father handed down his knowledge of herbs and minerals...
as his private physician. He returned to Rome and assumed the post of Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church in 1638. In 1636, against the wish of his uncle the Pope, he accepted the post of Crown-Cardinal-Protector
Crown-cardinal
A crown-cardinal was a cardinal protector of a Catholic nation, nominated or funded by a Catholic monarch to serve as their representative within the College of Cardinals and, if applicable, exercise the jus exclusivae...
of the Kingdom of France.
In 1639 Odoardo Farnese
Odoardo Farnese
Odoardo Farnese was Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1622 to 1646.-Biography:Odoardo was the sole legitimate son of Ranuccio I Farnese and Margherita Aldobrandini...
, Duke of Parma and Piacenza
Piacenza
Piacenza is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Piacenza...
, came to Rome. During his visit he insulted Antonio and his brother Francesco. Pope Urban responded by banning grain shipments from Farnese controlled areas. When the Farnese were then unable to pay their debts the Pope sent debt collectors. Finally the Pope send troops to occupy Castro. The Pope's forces were led by Antonio, his brother Taddeo and mercenary
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
field commander Luigi Mattei
Luigi Mattei
Luigi Mattei was an Italian military General and Marquis de Belmonte. During the 17th century he commanded troops loyal to the papal armies of Barberini Pope Urban VIII and Pamphili Pope Innocent X during the Wars of Castro.-Biography:...
.
Castro fell to Urban's forces without significant resistance and the victory was celebrated in song by 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 composer, Marco Marazzoli
Marco Marazzoli
Marco Marazzoli was an Italian priest and composer.-Early life:Born at Parma, Marazzoli received early training as a priest, and was ordained around 1625. He moved to Rome in 1626, and entered the service of Cardinal Antonio Barberini...
. But the victory was short lived and thereafter Antonio and his troops suffered a series of decisive losses. Pope Urban was forced to accept defeat and signed a peace treaty
Peace treaty
A peace treaty is an agreement between two or more hostile parties, usually countries or governments, that formally ends a state of war between the parties...
with the Farnese Dukes in an attempt to prevent them from marching on Rome itself. When Urban died, the Church
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...
was facing financial struggle, the cardinals (despite francophile
Francophile
Is a person with a positive predisposition or interest toward the government, culture, history, or people of France. This could include France itself and its history, the French language, French cuisine, literature, etc...
Urban's nepotism) were divided between France and Spain and the Farnese were moving toward Rome with a mercenary army in tow.
Pontificate of Innocent X
Antonio had developed a strong relationship with Cardinal Jules Mazarin and was given responsibility for the French contingent within the College of CardinalsCollege of Cardinals
The College of Cardinals is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church.A function of the college is to advise the pope about church matters when he summons them to an ordinary consistory. It also convenes on the death or abdication of a pope as a papal conclave to elect a successor...
and for the nomination of Giulio Cesare Sacchetti
Giulio Cesare Sacchetti
thumb|Cardinal Giulio Cesare Sacchetti, Pietro da Cortona, 1626Giulio Cesare Sacchetti was an Italian Catholic Cardinal and was twice unsuccessfully nominated by France for election as Pope.-Early life:...
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 :...
which was to pick his uncle's successor. But his efforts were in vain and the Spanish nominee, Giovanni Battista Pamphili (of the powerful Pamphili
Pamphili
The Pamphili are one of the papal families deeply entrenched in Roman Catholic Church, Roman and Italian politics of the 16th and 17th centuries ....
family), was elected 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...
.
Antonio's brother Francesco had sided with the Spanish and split the conclave and it was his negotiations that resulted in Pamphili's election. The final deal in Pamphili's favour included an agreement, designed by the brothers for their own benefit, that the new Pope would allow the Barberini to keep the titles, land and fortunes they had amassed under Pope Urban VIII's reign. Mazarin became so angry because of Antonio's attitude that he deprived him of the protectorate of the Kingdom of France. However, the conflict was of short duration and both cardinals quickly reconciled with each other.
For reasons unknown, 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...
reneged on the deal done with the brothers and Antonio and his brother Taddeo were accused of financial abuses during the War of Castro. The two went into exile in 1645 in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
under the protection of Cardinal Mazarin, and were joined a year later by Francesco . Taddeo Barberini
Taddeo Barberini
Taddeo Barberini was an Italian nobleman of the House of Barberini who became Prince of Palestrina and Gonfalonier of the Church; commander of the Papal Army. He was a nephew of Pope Urban VIII and brother of Cardinals Francesco Barberini and Antonio Barberini...
's wife, Anna Colonna
Anna Colonna
Anna Colonna was an Italian noblewoman of the Colonna and Barberini families and Princess of Paliano-Biography:Colonna was born in 1601; the daughter of Filippo Colonna, Prince of Paliano and Lucrezia Tomacelli, dei signori di Galatro, and was thus Princess of Paliano.On 14 October 1627, at age...
made a passionate plea, in person, to the Pope and 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...
were granted permission to keep their property but the family remained in exile until 1647. The family was finally reconciled with Pope in 1653 when Antonio's nephew (Taddeo's son) Maffeo Barberini married the Pope's grand-niece Olimpia Giustiniani
Olimpia Giustiniani
Olimpia Giustiniani was an Italian noblewoman of the houses of Giustiniani and Barberini. She was the grand-daughter of Olimpia Maidalchini, niece of Pope Innocent X and wife of Maffeo Barberini, Prince of Palestrina....
.
Pontificate of Alexander VII
When Innocent X died in 1655, Antonio Barberini again played a leading role in the College of CardinalsCollege of Cardinals
The College of Cardinals is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church.A function of the college is to advise the pope about church matters when he summons them to an ordinary consistory. It also convenes on the death or abdication of a pope as a papal conclave to elect a successor...
and the conclave
Papal conclave
A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a Bishop of Rome, who then becomes the Pope during a period of vacancy in the papal office. The Pope is considered by Roman Catholics to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church...
. Again, Antonio and the French nominated Giulio Cesare Sacchetti
Giulio Cesare Sacchetti
thumb|Cardinal Giulio Cesare Sacchetti, Pietro da Cortona, 1626Giulio Cesare Sacchetti was an Italian Catholic Cardinal and was twice unsuccessfully nominated by France for election as Pope.-Early life:...
but he was vetoed by the Spanish. The fractured college came together to support Fabio Chigi, who was elected and took office as 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...
.
Later that year he was ordained Cardinal-Bishop 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...
. About that time he changed his dissolute lifestyle, devoted himself to religion and became strongly involved in the campaign against Jansenism.
King Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
had previously nominated him (in 1653) as Bishop of Poitiers
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Poitiers
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Poitiers is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic church in France. The archepiscopal see is in the city of Poitiers. The Diocese of Poitiers includes the two Departments of Vienne and Deux-Sèvres...
but the nomination was never ratified by 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...
. Four years later, (1657) the King brought him back to France and transferred him to the Archdiocese of Reims but it took a further decade (1667) before the pope confirmed the post. For many years he served as Grand Almoner of the Kingdom of France
Kingdom of France
The Kingdom of France was one of the most powerful states to exist in Europe during the second millennium.It originated from the Western portion of the Frankish empire, and consolidated significant power and influence over the next thousand years. Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, developed a...
.
In 1661 he was appointed Cardinal-Bishop of Palestrina
Roman Catholic Suburbicarian Diocese of Palestrina
thumb|250 px|The Cathedral of Sant'Agapito in Palestrina.The Roman Catholic Suburbicarian Diocese of Palestrina, , is a Roman Catholic suburbicarian diocese centered on the comune of Palestrina in Italy....
, the diocese that covered the Barberini family comune
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
of Palestrina
Palestrina
Palestrina is an ancient city and comune with a population of about 18,000, in Lazio, c. 35 km east of Rome...
.
Later life
Antonio Barberini participated in the papal conclave of 1667Papal conclave, 1667
The Papal conclave, 1667 to determine the successor to the departed Pope Alexander VII resulted in the election of cardinal Giulio Rospigliosi, who took the name of Clement IX.-Divisions among cardinals:...
which saw the French delegation successfully campaign for the election of Giulio Rospigliosi, who took the papal throne as Pope Clement IX
Pope Clement IX
Pope Clement IX , born Giulio Rospigliosi, was Pope from 1667 to 1669.-Early life:Born Giulio Rospigliosi to a noble family of Pistoia, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, he was a pupil of the Jesuits. After receiving his doctorate in philosophy at the University of Pisa, he taught theology there...
. He also participated in the conclave of 1669-1679 at which Emilio Altieri was elected as Pope Clement X
Pope Clement X
Pope Clement X , born Emilio Bonaventura Altieri, was Pope from 29 April 1670 to 22 July 1676.-Early life:Emilio Altieri was born in Rome, the son of Lorenzo Altieri and Victoria Delphini, a Venetian lady...
. He became Vice-Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals in March 1671; the dean at that time was his older brother Francesco.
He died in Nemi
Nemi
Nemi is a town and comune in the province of Rome , in the Alban Hills overlooking Lake Nemi, a volcanic crater lake. It is 6 km NW of Velletri and about 30 km southeast of Rome....
on 3 August 1671, two days before his 64th birthday.
Private life
Contemporaries widely commented Barberini's very dissolute conduct during the pontificate of his uncle. According to Gregorio LetiGregorio Leti
Gregorio Leti was an Italian historian and satirist from Milan, who sometimes published under the pseudonym Abbe Gualdi, L'abbé Gualdi, or Gualdus known for his works about the Roman Catholic Church, especially the papacy...
, "The great inclination he has had to women hath been no small blemish to his reputation".
According to the controversial anonymous text, The Scarlet Gown (a tabloid published in 1653 listing the vices of each living cardinal of the day), Barberini had a number of mistress
Mistress (lover)
A mistress is a long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner; the term is used especially when her partner is married. The relationship generally is stable and at least semi-permanent; however, the couple does not live together openly. Also the relationship is usually,...
es including one he had whipped for flaunting herself during Carnivale and another who died mysteriously while carrying his child.
Barberini was also, apparently, involved in several affairs with young men. He became particularly intimate with the castrato
Castrato
A castrato is a man with a singing voice equivalent to that of a soprano, mezzo-soprano, or contralto voice produced either by castration of the singer before puberty or one who, because of an endocrinological condition, never reaches sexual maturity.Castration before puberty prevents a boy's...
singer Marc'Antonio Pasqualini
Marc'Antonio Pasqualini
thumb|right|200px| Marcantonio Pasqualini Crowned by Apollo by [[Andrea Sacchi]].Marc'Antonio Pasqualini was an Italian castrato opera singer who performed during the Baroque period. He has been described as "the leading male soprano of his day"...
in the early 1640s. Contemporary testimony leaves little doubt that the "veritable passion" the cardinal felt extended to more than Pasqualini's beautiful voice. However, in his later life he underwent conversion, changed his lifestyle and became deeply religious.
Music
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
including Marco Marazzoli
Marco Marazzoli
Marco Marazzoli was an Italian priest and composer.-Early life:Born at Parma, Marazzoli received early training as a priest, and was ordained around 1625. He moved to Rome in 1626, and entered the service of Cardinal Antonio Barberini...
who he commissioned to compose various works which praised the actions of 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. Marazzoli was appointed Antonio Barberini's aiutante di camera
Valet de chambre
Valet de chambre , or varlet de chambre, was a court appointment introduced in the late Middle Ages, common from the 14th century onwards. Royal Households had many persons appointed at any time...
and became a tenor in the papal chapel that same year; in 1639 he was awarded the position of musico under 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...
. Marazzoli composed Le armi e gli amori to be given at Carnival 1655, but 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 :...
interrupted production, and it was not given until 1656, alongside Dal male e bene and Marazzoli's latest opera, Vita humana which was composed to honor the visit of Queen Christina of Sweden.
Fiori musicali
Fiori musicali
Fiori musicali is a collection of liturgical organ music by Girolamo Frescobaldi, first published in 1635. It contains three organ masses and two secular capriccios. Generally acknowledged as one of Frescobaldi's best works, Fiori musicali influenced composers during at least two centuries...
was dedicated to Antonio Barberini in 1635. He was also said to have been a patron of Luigi Rossi.
Outside their intimate relationship, Antonio Barberini was an ongoing patron of Marc'Antonio Pasqualini
Marc'Antonio Pasqualini
thumb|right|200px| Marcantonio Pasqualini Crowned by Apollo by [[Andrea Sacchi]].Marc'Antonio Pasqualini was an Italian castrato opera singer who performed during the Baroque period. He has been described as "the leading male soprano of his day"...
.
Architecture
Carlo Maderno
Carlo Maderno was a Swiss-Italian architect, born in Ticino, who is remembered as one of the fathers of Baroque architecture. His façades of Santa Susanna, St. Peter's Basilica and Sant'Andrea della Valle were of key importance in the evolution of the Italian Baroque...
to adapt and extend the Palazzo Sforza that they had purchased, into the Palazzo Barberini
Palazzo Barberini
Palazzo Barberini is a palace in Rome, facing the piazza of the same name in Rione Trevi and is home to the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica.-History:...
. In this work, Maderno was assisted by his relative Francesco Borromini
Francesco Borromini
Francesco Borromini, byname of Francesco Castelli was an architect from Ticino who, with his contemporaries, Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Pietro da Cortona, was a leading figure in the emergence of Roman Baroque architecture.A keen student of the architecture of Michelangelo and the ruins of...
. When Maderno died in 1629, Borromini was passed over and the commission was awarded to Bernini, a young prodigy then better known as a sculptor. Borromini stayed on and the two architects worked together; later in their careers fierce rivalries would develop. The palace was completed in 1633.
Prior to his election, Pope Urban VIII had been a member of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith
Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in Rome is the congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for missionary work and related activities...
. Antonio Barberini was appointed prefect of the Congregation and set about commissioning a new palace, the Palazzo del Propaganda Fide. The construction was started by close Barberini family friend Gianlorenzo Bernini. In 1644, when Antonio was exiled, Bernini was replaced by Borromini who demolished Bernini's chapel and built his own design; the chapel is considered one of Borromini's masterpieces.
Antonio and his brothers also commissioned the Teatro delle Quattro Fontane
Teatro delle Quattro Fontane
The Teatro delle Quattro Fontane is an opera house in Rome, Italy, designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and built in 1632 by the Barberini family...
(or Theatre of the Four Fountains); an opera house
Opera house
An opera house is a theatre building used for opera performances that consists of a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and set building...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and built in 1632. It was located in Via delle Quattro Fontane, near the Piazza Barberini
Piazza Barberini
Piazza Barberini is a large piazza in the centro storico or city center of Rome, Italy and situated on the Quirinal Hill. It was created in the 16th century but many of the surrounding buildings have subsequently been rebuilt....
and the Quattro Fontane
Quattro Fontane
The Quattro Fontane is a group of four Late Renaissance fountains located at the intersection of Via delle Quattro Fontane and Via del Quirinale in Rome. They were commissioned by Pope Sixtus V and built at the direction of Muzio Mattei; installed between 1588 and 1593...
or Four Fountains.
Art
Caravaggio
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was an Italian artist active in Rome, Naples, Malta, and Sicily between 1593 and 1610. His paintings, which combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting, had a formative influence on the Baroque...
died when Antonio Barberini was only 3 years old, the Cardinal later became a great admirer of his work and his extensive art collection included Caravaggio's paintings such as Still Life with Fruit
Still Life with Fruit (Caravaggio)
Still Life with Fruit is a painting by the Italian Baroque master Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio .The picture has been variously dated between 1601 and 1605...
, Cardsharps
Cardsharps (Caravaggio)
The Cardsharps is a painting by the Italian Baroque artist Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio.-History:The work represents an important milestone for Caravaggio...
and The Lute Player
The Lute Player (Caravaggio)
The Lute Player is a composition by the Italian Baroque master Caravaggio. It exists in three versions, one in the Wildenstein Collection, another in the Hermitage Museum, St...
. Antonio had purchased the art collection of Francesco Maria Del Monte
Francesco Maria Del Monte
Francesco Maria Del Monte, full name Francesco Maria Bourbon Del Monte Santa Maria, was an Italian Cardinal, diplomat and connoisseur of the arts...
upon the cardinal's death which had included a large number of important works. Pope Urban VIII had purchased a number of works directly from Carravaggio and it is likely Antonio also inherited a number of these.
Antonio commissioned Lorenzo Ottoni
Lorenzo Ottoni
Lorenzo Ottoni was an Italian sculptor who was commissioned by the papacy and various noble houses of renaissance Italy.-Life:Ottoni was born in Rome in 1658 and spent the majority of his life in the city....
to complete a number of 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 sculptures including that of his nephew Maffeo Barberini.
Antonio and his uncle also commissioned the painter Andrea Sacchi
Andrea Sacchi
Andrea Sacchi was an Italian painter of High Baroque Classicism, active in Rome. A generation of artists who shared his style of art include the painters Nicolas Poussin and Giovanni Battista Passeri, the sculptors Alessandro Algardi and François Duquesnoy, and the contemporary biographer Giovanni...
to complete various works at Antonio's Capuchin
Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
church and at the Palazzo Barberini
Palazzo Barberini
Palazzo Barberini is a palace in Rome, facing the piazza of the same name in Rione Trevi and is home to the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica.-History:...
. Today the Palazzo Barberini houses the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica
Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica
The Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, or National Gallery of Ancient Art, is an art gallery in Rome, Italy, located on two sites: the Palazzo Barberini and the Palazzo Corsini....
, one of the most important painting collections in Italy