Olimpia Maidalchini
Olimpia Maidalchini - Pamphili ( born May 26, 1591 in Viterbo, † September 26, 1657 in San Martino al Cimino ) was an important person in the history of the Popes in the mid- 17th century.
Origin
Olimpia Maidalchini was born as a daughter of the Sforza Maidalchini and Vittoria Gualtieri, who belonged to both families of the nobles, in Viterbo. She spent her childhood in the local monastery of San Domenico, but has had only a modest upbringing. The urging of her parents to become a nun, she successfully resisted and married on September 28, 1608 Paolo Nini from an equally important family. However, this died already in 1611, as well as both only son Nino.
Social advancement
Olimpia end of 1612 was a her second marriage, with the 32- year-older Pamphilio Pamphili, a member of a few years earlier with a first cardinal ascended into the leading ranks of the urban Roman aristocracy family that originally came from the Umbrian Gubbio. The nephew of this Cardinal Giovanni Battista Pamphili named ( 1644-1655 Pope Innocent X ), had then already started his long career in the service of the papal curia; He was the brother of Olympia. In 1619 the first daughter, Maria Flaminia, was born on 21 February 1622 Naples son Camillo Francesco Maria Pamphilij, when the parents were staying there because Giovanni Battista had taken it, the the royal court as an envoy of Pope Paul V. , and Gregory XV. bored. The couple returned in 1625 returned to Rome, where in 1629 the second daughter Costanza was born. Ten years later died Pamphilio while Maria Flaminia 1640 the Genoese nobleman Andrea Giustiniani married, son of the Marchese Vincenzo Giustiniani acting in Rome the Younger. The daughter of this couple was named Olimpia.
Position of power as the Pope - in-law
As Giovanni Battista Pamphili was elected after the death of Urban VIII on September 14, 1644 to the Pope and took the name of Innocent X, Olimpia Maidalchini won a prominent position. Extent to which they contributed themselves for election of her brother, remains open. Shortly thereafter, the new pope changed in their favor his will and used them as the sole heir of his worldly possessions. Even rapidly, the new social rank, as a little later Olympia's second daughter Costanza showed the Prince of Piombino, Niccolò Albergati Ludovisi, nephew of Pope Gregory XV. , Married. On November 18, 1644 Innocent created his 22 - year-old nephew Camillo Cardinal and gave him additional offices as the nominal commander of the papal troops. However, the young cardinal with the title of Santa Maria in Domnica remained under the supervision of the Secretary of State Cardinal Giovanni Giacomo Panciroli.
First years in social leadership
In 1645 Innocent acquired the equipment to its family of the Apostolic Chamber to the south of Viterbo lying San Martino al Cimino, elevated him to the Principality, together with the more northern villages Montecalvello, Grotte Santo Stefano and Vallebona and transferred this to his sister own rights. An inscription panel, which is recessed into the floor of the powerful monastery church at the northern edge of the present-day district of Viterbo, Olimpia has as a princess and highlights their achievements in the renovation of the church out; the text may have been formulated by Olimpia itself.
Because of their position, the new princess in state ceremonies the Pope took part, which is not surprising, but the Roman people attracted to first satires, which are called Pasquinaden: These were in the form of notes on a fragmentary ancient marble statue known as Pasquino, at night attached. A curiosity of a special kind is the immediate neighborhood of this ancient piece with a different purpose to the then under construction Palazzo Pamphili.
In the same 1646 the sculptor Alessandro Algardi created the expressive marble bust of Olympia, which is now in the Galleria Doria Pamphili in Rome: The Spirit of the sitter can be read directly on her.
On January 7, 1647 Kardinalnepot took Camillo Pamphili, a mother and uncle for a long time not welcome step, when he resigned his cardinalate to marry a rich heiress from the high aristocracy on February 10. It was Olimpia Borghese, born Aldobrandini, Princess of Rossano and Meldola and heir to her family. She brought her husband half of the assets of a Aldobrandini, including after these named Villa in Frascati. Thither the couple moved back to the wedding, had participated in neither the Pope nor the mother or mother in law. In the future, these two women of the same name formed from a prominent opposition that partially co-determined the papal policy unhappy.
On October 7, 1647 Innocent X. appointed the nephew of Olimpia, Francesco Maidalchini, son of her older brother, the new Kardinalnepoten, but made the decision not unanimous approval. His aunt took meanwhile, although not directly to the real state business part, but she was instrumental in the granting of favor with prove.
Construction
Particular attention turned to Olimpia with papal money in construction activity. At today's Piazza Navona was built in 1644-1650 by the architect Girolamo Rainaldi and Francesco Borromini, Palazzo Pamphili, specifically was involved in its interior Olimpia. Right next to the church of S. Agnese was built in agone since 1652, which was not completed until after the Pope's death by Carlo Rainaldi 1672. Prior to her facade was designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, a special favorite of Olympia in art matters and recommended her to the Pope, from 1648 to 1651 the Four Rivers Fountain. Referred to is a with antique statues adorned the exterior facades buildings, also known as Casino di Bel Respiro ( Casino of the beautiful recreation): Outside the city walls, Villa Pamphili, was west of Rome, near the Porta San Pancrazio 1644-1652 built in a wide landscape area will.
Finally Olimpia devoted special attention to the development of their small principality and especially its main towns, which was redesigned for modern urbanistic criteria as a country residence. In addition to the monastery church of the Palazzo Pamphili was built, a fairly simple structure without complicated external jewelry. The main street of uniform design small apartment buildings and several fountains and two lateral side streets to the city wall attached houses skirting to the south where a Prunktor with inscription and coat of arms Pope completes the whole ensemble. The newly built place has it almost exactly the form of the Roman Piazza Navona.
Last time in the center of power
After the June 24, 1648 was named after his great-uncle 's son Camillo Pamphili and Olimpia Aldobrandini, Giovanbattista, was born, the parents returned back to Rome and took in the Palazzo Farnese apartment.
1649 was Olimpia Maidalchini under dubious circumstances relics of Saint Francesca Romana to San Martino al Cimino bring what brought her noticeable reluctance of the Roman population. On the eve of the Holy Year 1650, she took part in the solemn ceremony, opened at the Innocent X. the Holy Door of St. Peter's. In the same year the painter Diego Velázquez created her portrait now lost, while the simultaneous portrait of Pope is preserved.
Even in 1650, there was a detuning between the Pope and sister in law, than that in September a new Kardinalnepoten from the extended family, Camillo Astalli summoned. In June he had Olimpia's right to dispose of the family estates at will be revoked. The so noticeably snubbed pulled back then for a long time in the just completed Palazzo Pamphili in Rome.
It was only in March 1653 brought the two sisters of the pope, who lived as nuns in Viterbo, a family about reconciliation, which was confirmed by the in April birth of the second son of Camillo and Olimpia, Benedetto; this was in 1681 even cardinal. Moreover, married in June Olimpia Giustiniani and Prince Maffeo Barberini, which brought about the reconciliation of the two families of the Barberini Pope and Pamphili. At the same time Olimpia Maidalchini returned to public life in Rome. This new situation found its affirmation on 12 October 1653 when the Pope visited his relatives in the Principality and gave her the will to disempower Cardinal Astalli. Mid- 1654 finally Pope and Princess sat each one as heirs.
On December 14, 1654, Innocent X drew on a visit to the Villa Pamphili to a cold, from which he never recovered. To visit his sick bed in the Vatican, Olimpia denied in office since 1650 Secretary of State Cardinal Fabio Chigi. When the Pope died on 7 January 1655, the two had not seen again, and the funeral was conducted in strikingly simple form: The sister in law to have refused to pay for the funeral costs because they claimed to be a poor widow. The grave monument of the Pope in S. Agnese in Agnone was built by a descendant until the year 1730.
Exile, death and aftermath
In the conclave after Innocent's death, the majority of the cardinals turned rapidly against the Pamphili family. On April 7, then Fabio Chigi was elected Pope and took the name of Alexander VII. One of his first decisions was to exile Olympia from Rome. This drew first back to Viterbo, then to San Martino al Cimino. Here she died on 26 September 1657 the plague and was buried in the monastery church in a side chapel of the choir, where an inscription in the floor reminiscent of them. Your Barhinterlassenschaft to have amounted to two million scudi.
In the numerous Pasquinaden Olimpia was vilified not only as " Olim Pia " ( Pious once ), but also as " Pimpaccia di Piazza Navona " ("the rigged from Piazza Navona "). In addition, it was imputed with her steward an alleged love affair. In addition, pamphlets devoted their influence on the papal brother in law: So she was referred to as " near- Pope Joan". Already in 1666 appeared in Geneva such a representation under the innocuous title " Vita di Donna Olimpia Maidalchini ", the image of Olympia certain with their French, English and Dutch translations as the main representative of the degeneracy of nepotism.
The Pamphili family died in 1760 with Girolamo Pamphili, in the same chapel as was his ancestor his grave. She went on in the now also extinct in the direct male succession Doria Pamphili Landi family.