Carlo Rossetti
Encyclopedia
Carlo Rossetti was an Italian
Catholic
Cardinal
who went to London
as a secret nuncio
on behalf of Pope Urban VIII
. While in London, he used the pseudonym
, Count Charles Rossetti, and was referred to even as Prince Rossetti, having styled himself as an Italian nobleman rather than as a representative of the Roman Catholic Church
to avoid persecution.
, Rossetti went to Rome
as a young man and was employed as a prelate
to Pope Urban VIII
and his nephews Francesco Barberini
and Antonio Barberini
.
were impressed by his vigour and energy and sent him as nuncio
first to Germany
, then to England
where he provided financial support to Irish Catholics fighting against the Parliament of England
. His mission was undertaken incognito
as one Italian historian recalled:
Rossetti's mission was considered especially dangerous, given the conflict between the Church
and England at the time. Even contemporary Italian authors dared not publish his real identity for fear the prelate's life may be threatened. But Rossetti's clandestine mission was successful in many regards. He managed to convince some at the English court to banish Roman Catholic priest
s from England, rather than execute them. When contemporary detractors suggested King Charles I of England
and his Archbishop
William Laud
were papist
s, Rossetti bravely took the opportunity to suggest the King might consider converting to Catholicism, seeing as though he was being accused of as much anyway.
Charles' Queen, Henrietta Maria
, saw Rossetti's position at court as potentially advantageous and, having developed a social relationship with the clandestine nobleman, urged the prelate to write to the uncle of his Barberini patrons, Pope Urban VIII
, asking for the equivalent of £100,000 pounds sterling to aid England's ailing coffer
s. The Pope responded saying he was, "...very ready to supply the King so soon as ever he should declare himself a Catholic".
, Rossetti's life was threatened and he took refuge in the castle of the mother of Queen Henrietta Maria. Thereafter he was summoned to appear before the House of Commons of England
but instead fled England at the end of June 1641. He went to Flanders
with the assistance of the Venetian
ambassador and then returned to Rome
and to the service of the Barberini.
When he returned to Rome
they engineered his ordination as Archbishop of Tarsus in 1641 and in 1643 he was elevated to Cardinal by Pope Urban. Pope Urban died in 1644 and Rossetti participated in the Papal conclave of 1644
. Despite his understandable support for the French
nominee, Giulio Cesare Sacchetti
, Rossetti was not punished too severely when Giovanni Battista Pamphili took office as Pope Innocent X
. He was installed as Cardinal-Deacon of the San Cesareo in Palatio
later in 1644.
He served as Cardinal-Deacon at a number of other churches including the Santa Maria in Via Lata
(1653) and the San Silvestro in Capite
(1654). There he remained for 18 years until his appointment as Cardinal-Deacon at the San Lorenzo in Lucina
in 1672. Between 1654 and 1656 he was named Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals
.
He participated in number of papal conclave
s including those of 1655
, 1667
, 1669–1670 and the conclave of 1676
.
He was appointed Cardinal-Bishop of Frascati
in 1676 and finally, Cardinal-Bishop of Porto-Santa Rufina
in 1680 before his death on 23 November 1681.
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...
who went to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
as a secret nuncio
Nuncio
Nuncio is an ecclesiastical diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin word, Nuntius, meaning "envoy." This article addresses this title as well as derived similar titles, all within the structure of the Roman Catholic Church...
on behalf 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...
. While in London, he used the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
, Count Charles Rossetti, and was referred to even as Prince Rossetti, having styled himself as an Italian nobleman rather than as a representative of the Roman Catholic 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...
to avoid persecution.
Early life
Born of a noble family in FerraraFerrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
, Rossetti went to 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...
as a young man and was employed as a prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
to 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 his nephews 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 Antonio Barberini
Antonio Barberini
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-nephews of Pope Urban VIII and a supporter of France, he played a significant role at a number of the papal...
.
As nuncio in London
The BarberiniBarberini
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 impressed by his vigour and energy and sent him as nuncio
Nuncio
Nuncio is an ecclesiastical diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin word, Nuntius, meaning "envoy." This article addresses this title as well as derived similar titles, all within the structure of the Roman Catholic Church...
first to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, then to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
where he provided financial support to Irish Catholics fighting against the Parliament of England
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
. His mission was undertaken incognito
Anonymity
Anonymity is derived from the Greek word ἀνωνυμία, anonymia, meaning "without a name" or "namelessness". In colloquial use, anonymity typically refers to the state of an individual's personal identity, or personally identifiable information, being publicly unknown.There are many reasons why a...
as one Italian historian recalled:
Rossetti's mission was considered especially dangerous, given the conflict between 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...
and England at the time. Even contemporary Italian authors dared not publish his real identity for fear the prelate's life may be threatened. But Rossetti's clandestine mission was successful in many regards. He managed to convince some at the English court to banish Roman Catholic priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
s from England, rather than execute them. When contemporary detractors suggested King Charles I of England
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
and his Archbishop
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
William Laud
William Laud
William Laud was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1633 to 1645. One of the High Church Caroline divines, he opposed radical forms of Puritanism...
were papist
Papist
Papist is a term or an anti-Catholic slur, referring to the Roman Catholic Church, its teachings, practices, or adherents. The term was coined during the English Reformation to denote a person whose loyalties were to the Pope, rather than to the Church of England...
s, Rossetti bravely took the opportunity to suggest the King might consider converting to Catholicism, seeing as though he was being accused of as much anyway.
Charles' Queen, Henrietta Maria
Henrietta Maria of France
Henrietta Maria of France ; was the Queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the wife of King Charles I...
, saw Rossetti's position at court as potentially advantageous and, having developed a social relationship with the clandestine nobleman, urged the prelate to write to the uncle of his Barberini patrons, 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...
, asking for the equivalent of £100,000 pounds sterling to aid England's ailing coffer
Coffer
A coffer in architecture, is a sunken panel in the shape of a square, rectangle, or octagon in a ceiling, soffit or vault...
s. The Pope responded saying he was, "...very ready to supply the King so soon as ever he should declare himself a Catholic".
Return to Rome
At the outbreak of the First Bishops' WarBishops' Wars
The Bishops' Wars , were conflicts, both political and military, which occurred in 1639 and 1640 centred around the nature of the governance of the Church of Scotland, and the rights and powers of the Crown...
, Rossetti's life was threatened and he took refuge in the castle of the mother of Queen Henrietta Maria. Thereafter he was summoned to appear before the House of Commons of England
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
but instead fled England at the end of June 1641. He went to Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
with the assistance of the Venetian
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
ambassador and then returned to 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 to the service of the Barberini.
When he returned to 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...
they engineered his ordination as Archbishop of Tarsus in 1641 and in 1643 he was elevated to Cardinal by Pope Urban. Pope Urban died in 1644 and Rossetti participated in 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 :...
. Despite his understandable support for the French
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...
nominee, 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:...
, Rossetti was not punished too severely when Giovanni Battista Pamphili took office 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...
. He was installed as Cardinal-Deacon of the San Cesareo in Palatio
San Cesareo in Palatio
San Cesareo in Palatio or San Caesareo de Appia is a titular church in Rome, near the beginning of the Appian Way. It is dedicated to Saint Caesarius of Africa, a 2nd century deacon and martyr.-Origins:...
later in 1644.
He served as Cardinal-Deacon at a number of other churches including the Santa Maria in Via Lata
Santa Maria in Via Lata
Santa Maria in Via Lata is a church on the Via del Corso , in Rome, Italy.-History:It is claimed that St. Paul spent two years here, in the crypt under the church, whilst under house arrest waiting for his trial. This conflicts with the tradition regarding San Paolo alla Regola...
(1653) and the San Silvestro in Capite
San Silvestro in Capite
The Church of Saint Sylvester in Capite is a Roman Catholic minor basilica and titular church in Rome dedicated to Pope Saint Sylvester I. Built in the 8th century as a shrine for the relics of the saints and martyrs from the Catacombs, the church is the National church of Great Britain.The Latin...
(1654). There he remained for 18 years until his appointment as Cardinal-Deacon at the San Lorenzo in Lucina
San Lorenzo in Lucina
The Church of St Lawrence's at Lucina is a Roman Catholic parish and titular church and minor basilica in Rome, Italy, dedicated to Saint Lawrence, Roman deacon and martyr. The name Lucina comes from the Roman matron owner of the house on which the church was built.The current Cardinal Priest of...
in 1672. Between 1654 and 1656 he was named 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...
.
He participated in number of 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 including those 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 :...
, 1667
Papal 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:...
, 1669–1670 and the conclave of 1676
Papal conclave, 1676
The Papal Conclave of 1676 was convened after the death of Pope Clement X and lasted from 2 August until 21 September of 1676. It led to the election of Benedetto Odescalchi as Pope Innocent XI.-History:...
.
He was appointed 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...
in 1676 and finally, Cardinal-Bishop of Porto-Santa Rufina
Roman Catholic Suburbicarian Diocese of Porto-Santa Rufina
The Diocese of Porto and Santa-Rufina is a suburbicarian see of the Holy Roman Church and a diocese of the Catholic Church in Italy...
in 1680 before his death on 23 November 1681.