Gianbattista out of his hard-baked shell to show his fine grasp of Vatican affairs. Her guests admired her, and they began to see the excellent qualities of Monsignor Gianbattista. It is not known what they thought of Pamphilio, who was, perhaps, sitting glumly at the head of the table, drinking his 2 percent wine. No matter. Because of Olimpia, the Pamphilis were an up-and-coming family.
The dining table was the place where nuncios were chosen, cardinals created, rich pensions bestowed, and marriages negotiated. The quality of the wine and meat, the cut of the crystal, the skill of the servants, all contributed to a family’s success. The table was always to present a cornucopia of abundance, a feast for the eyes, and never be bare for even a moment, which would indicate lack or poverty. Empty dishes were whipped off and full ones set down with military precision. With a grand flourish of knives, Olimpia’s scalco sliced the finest meats. Her dapper coppiero poured liquid rubies into crystal goblets. Her creden-ziere proffered sparkling silver pitchers and platters, glinting in the
[ 64 ]
M i s t r e s s o f t h e Vat i c a n
candlelight. And all the servants did their level best to make sure there wasn’t a drop of poison on anything.
Olimpia had, by now, totally immersed herself in the Vatican hierarchy. She knew all the cardinals resident in Rome, and also knew which ones were considered papabile, which translates awkwardly as “popeable”—that is, highly qualified to be elected pope. These qualifications included a ripening age, diplomatic experience as nuncio, knowledge of canon law, and a dearth of enemies among the rulers of Europe and in the Sacred College of Cardinals. These men—and their sisters, sisters-in-law, and nieces—she would turn into her best friends.
One of the most papabile cardinals was Alessandro Ludovisi. Born in 1554, Ludovisi was a canon lawyer who had worked amicably with Gianbattista for several years in the Rota. He had sterling qualifications in municipal, educational, and legal positions in the church. Pope Paul V made him archbishop in 1612, nuncio four years later, and cardinal in 1616. As Ludovisi slipped into his sixties, Romans whispered that there went the next pope. Olimpia must have courted him assiduously.
In the midst of this flurry of entertainment and plotting, the Pam-phili family was blessed by a most surprising event. After seven years of marriage, Olimpia had a baby, a healthy girl she called Maria. Perhaps this one would live. Roman gossips scrutinized the baby closely not so much to determine her health but to ascertain whether she bore a greater resemblance to her father or her uncle. Meanwhile Gianbattista, feeling somewhat squeezed by the new addition to the family and servants hired to take care of her, rented the Teofili house next to the Pamphili residence.
On January 28, 1621, Pope Paul V finally died after a reign of sixteen years. The conclave that began on February 8 was shockingly short. The following day, the new pope was announced. Alessandro Ludovisi, Gianbattista’s old friend, would take the name Gregory XV.
On March 26, 1621, Olimpia’s nine years of hard work were crowned with success. Gianbattista Pamphili was named the new papal nuncio to the kingdom of Naples. And now all the ladies of Rome, no matter how snooty, would have to meet her at the top of the stairs.
[ 65 ]
5
The Papal Nuncio
q
Politics have no relation to morals.
—Niccolò Machiavelli
aturally, Olimpia would be going with the new papal nuncio to Naples. Despite her eight years of tutelage, Gian-battista evidently did not feel confident enough to handle his first diplomatic posting without her by his side telling him exactly what to do. And she could hardly accompany the new papal nuncio without dragging her husband and her two-year-old daughter along to give the whole thing an air of respectability.
The Pamphilis would have been accompanied on the journey by
The dining table was the place where nuncios were chosen, cardinals created, rich pensions bestowed, and marriages negotiated. The quality of the wine and meat, the cut of the crystal, the skill of the servants, all contributed to a family’s success. The table was always to present a cornucopia of abundance, a feast for the eyes, and never be bare for even a moment, which would indicate lack or poverty. Empty dishes were whipped off and full ones set down with military precision. With a grand flourish of knives, Olimpia’s scalco sliced the finest meats. Her dapper coppiero poured liquid rubies into crystal goblets. Her creden-ziere proffered sparkling silver pitchers and platters, glinting in the
[ 64 ]
M i s t r e s s o f t h e Vat i c a n
candlelight. And all the servants did their level best to make sure there wasn’t a drop of poison on anything.
Olimpia had, by now, totally immersed herself in the Vatican hierarchy. She knew all the cardinals resident in Rome, and also knew which ones were considered papabile, which translates awkwardly as “popeable”—that is, highly qualified to be elected pope. These qualifications included a ripening age, diplomatic experience as nuncio, knowledge of canon law, and a dearth of enemies among the rulers of Europe and in the Sacred College of Cardinals. These men—and their sisters, sisters-in-law, and nieces—she would turn into her best friends.
One of the most papabile cardinals was Alessandro Ludovisi. Born in 1554, Ludovisi was a canon lawyer who had worked amicably with Gianbattista for several years in the Rota. He had sterling qualifications in municipal, educational, and legal positions in the church. Pope Paul V made him archbishop in 1612, nuncio four years later, and cardinal in 1616. As Ludovisi slipped into his sixties, Romans whispered that there went the next pope. Olimpia must have courted him assiduously.
In the midst of this flurry of entertainment and plotting, the Pam-phili family was blessed by a most surprising event. After seven years of marriage, Olimpia had a baby, a healthy girl she called Maria. Perhaps this one would live. Roman gossips scrutinized the baby closely not so much to determine her health but to ascertain whether she bore a greater resemblance to her father or her uncle. Meanwhile Gianbattista, feeling somewhat squeezed by the new addition to the family and servants hired to take care of her, rented the Teofili house next to the Pamphili residence.
On January 28, 1621, Pope Paul V finally died after a reign of sixteen years. The conclave that began on February 8 was shockingly short. The following day, the new pope was announced. Alessandro Ludovisi, Gianbattista’s old friend, would take the name Gregory XV.
On March 26, 1621, Olimpia’s nine years of hard work were crowned with success. Gianbattista Pamphili was named the new papal nuncio to the kingdom of Naples. And now all the ladies of Rome, no matter how snooty, would have to meet her at the top of the stairs.
[ 65 ]
5
The Papal Nuncio
q
Politics have no relation to morals.
—Niccolò Machiavelli
aturally, Olimpia would be going with the new papal nuncio to Naples. Despite her eight years of tutelage, Gian-battista evidently did not feel confident enough to handle his first diplomatic posting without her by his side telling him exactly what to do. And she could hardly accompany the new papal nuncio without dragging her husband and her two-year-old daughter along to give the whole thing an air of respectability.
The Pamphilis would have been accompanied on the journey by
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