Girolamo Mattei was an Italian

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...

 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...

 from the House of Mattei.

Mattei was born 8 February 1547, the son of Alessandro Mattei and Emilia Mazzatosta. He was the younger brother of Ciriaco Mattei

Ciriaco Mattei

Ciriaco Mattei was an Italian nobleman of Rome and of the House of Mattei and one of the most prolific art collectors of his time.-Family:...

 and the older brother of Asdrubale Mattei

Asdrubale Mattei

thumb|Portrait of Asdrubale Mattei di Giove by students of Caravaggio .Asdrubale Mattei , Duca di Giove, was an Italian nobleman of the House of Mattei, an avid art collector and a patron of Caravaggio.-Family:...

, Marquis di Giove. He was uncle to Girolamo Mattei, Duca di Giove

Girolamo Mattei, Duca di Giove

Girolamo Mattei was an Italian nobleman of the House of Mattei and Duke of Giove.Mattei was born in 1606, the son of Asdrubale Mattei, Marquis di Giove, and his wife Costanza Gonzaga . He was the older brother of Luigi Mattei; Marquis di Belmonte and military ally of the Barberini and Pope Urban...

 and 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:...

, commander of forces loyal to the Pope.

Mattei was raised to cardinal deacon in 1586 with the diaconia

Diaconia

A diaconia was originally an establishment built near a church building, for the care of the poor and distribution of the church's charity in medieval Rome or Naples...

s of Sant'Adriano al Foro

Sant'Adriano al Foro

Sant'Adriano al Foro was a church formerly in the Curia Julia in the Forum Romanum. It was built by Pope Honorius I in 630. Its name refers to the martyr Adrian of Nicomedia. Its structure was modified multiple times before it was demolished in the 1930s to recover the ancient structure of the...

 and Sant'Agata dei Goti

Sant'Agata dei Goti

Sant'Agata dei Goti is a church in Rome, Italy, dedicated to the martyr Saint Agatha. It is currently the titular church assigned to Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, currently Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura.-History:...

 (1587) then Santa Maria in Cosmedin

Santa Maria in Cosmedin

The Basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin is a minor basilica church in Rome, Italy. It is located in the rione of Ripa.- History :The church was built in the 8th century during the Byzantine Papacy over the remains of the Templum Herculis Pompeiani in the Forum Boarium and of the Statio annonae, one...

 (1587-89), then the titular church of San Pancrazio fuori le mura from 1592 to 1603.

He participated in the conclaves of 10-30 January 1592 (electing Pope Clement VIII

Pope Clement VIII

Pope Clement VIII , born Ippolito Aldobrandini, was Pope from 30 January 1592 to 3 March 1605.-Cardinal:...

) and also the elections of Pope Innocent IX

Pope Innocent IX

Pope Innocent IX , born Giovanni Antonio Facchinetti, was Pope from 29 October 1591 to his death on 30 December of the same year...

, Pope Gregory XIV

Pope Gregory XIV

Pope Gregory XIV , born Niccolò Sfondrati, was Pope from 5 December 1590 until his death in 1591.- Early career :...

 and Pope Urban VII

Pope Urban VII

Pope Urban VII , born Giovanni Battista Castagna, was Pope for thirteen days in September 1590. He was of Genoese origin, although born in Rome. He was created Cardinal-Priest of S. Marcello in 1584...

. From 1591 to 1603 he was prefect of the Congregation of the Council.