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mistress of the vatican.pdf - End Time Deception

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Eleanor Herman<br />

a breezy hill. The conclave doctor agreed that <strong>the</strong> Vatican was a lethal<br />

choice due to “<strong>the</strong> miasmas and <strong>the</strong> danger <strong>of</strong> infection.” 3 But Cardinal<br />

Antonio, who as camerlengo had <strong>the</strong> final decision, held his ground for<br />

a Vatican conclave out <strong>of</strong> respect for papal traditions. Realizing <strong>the</strong><br />

health risks, most cardinals made <strong>the</strong>ir wills before reporting for duty.<br />

A papal conclave was thought to be guided by <strong>the</strong> Holy Spirit, who<br />

would inspire <strong>the</strong> cardinals to select <strong>the</strong> man chosen by God. But Olimpia<br />

was leaving nothing up to <strong>the</strong> Holy Spirit. She had, in fact, been<br />

preparing for this moment for more than thirty years. She had buttered<br />

up <strong>the</strong> Spanish, courted <strong>the</strong> French, venerated <strong>the</strong> Barberinis, discreetly<br />

bribed <strong>the</strong> cardinals and flattered all <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir female relatives. Having<br />

positioned her kings, queens, and bishops on her chessboard, she now<br />

placed her pawns—spies in <strong>the</strong> conclave and in <strong>the</strong> houses <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> French<br />

and Spanish ambassadors.<br />

Leti wrote, “Due to <strong>the</strong> vacant See at <strong>the</strong> death <strong>of</strong> Urban, Donna<br />

Olimpia threw herself into keeping watch over all things carefully, and<br />

into making <strong>the</strong> most extreme effort to discover <strong>the</strong> intrigues, <strong>the</strong> plotting,<br />

and <strong>the</strong> intentions <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> cardinals and ambassadors with regards<br />

to <strong>the</strong> election <strong>of</strong> a new pope. And even though she had a natural stinginess,<br />

she didn’t fail to spend a great deal on spies to be well aware <strong>of</strong> all<br />

things. She staged a campaign to inform herself <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> least intrigue<br />

from here or <strong>the</strong>re and made every effort possible to learn what was<br />

happening.” 4<br />

With an eye to a checkmate, right before <strong>the</strong> conclave Olimpia gave<br />

precise instructions to Gianbattista. Leti continued: “The evening <strong>the</strong>y<br />

entered <strong>the</strong> conclave, Cardinal Pamfili spoke a long time with his sisterin-law,<br />

but I have never been able to discover exactly what passed between<br />

<strong>the</strong>m.” 5<br />

The conclave was preceded by <strong>the</strong> sound <strong>of</strong> hammering echoing<br />

from <strong>the</strong> Vatican halls as carpenters boarded up all windows in <strong>the</strong> cardinals’<br />

area. They left a couple <strong>of</strong> inches open at <strong>the</strong> top to let in a little<br />

humid air, swarms <strong>of</strong> mosquitoes, and a faint beam <strong>of</strong> light; candles<br />

would be used throughout <strong>the</strong> day. The boarding up <strong>of</strong> windows was<br />

supposed to prevent cardinals from making gestures or signs or giving<br />

messages <strong>of</strong> any kind to <strong>the</strong> outside world.<br />

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