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mistress of the vatican.pdf - End Time Deception

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Mistress <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Vatican<br />

<strong>the</strong> best Renaissance artists—Michelangelo, Raphael, Caravaggio—and<br />

owned some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> largest, most inspired sculptures by <strong>the</strong> young Gian<br />

Lorenzo Bernini. Scipione was even known to steal paintings <strong>of</strong>f church<br />

walls, causing howls <strong>of</strong> protests, which his uncle <strong>the</strong> pope had to smooth<br />

over. His palazzo was a gorgeous home for <strong>the</strong> bride, though she had to<br />

be careful when moving about her airy, frescoed chambers not to knock<br />

over a statue.<br />

In quick succession, <strong>the</strong> princess had three children, two boys and a<br />

girl. One boy died young, which presented a problem. While <strong>the</strong> first<br />

son was to take <strong>the</strong> Borghese name to continue his fa<strong>the</strong>r’s line, a second<br />

son was required to take <strong>the</strong> Aldobrandini name, as that line had<br />

died out. Her uncle Cardinal Aldobrandini had left a will stating that<br />

his entire fortune would go to Olimpia’s second son if he took <strong>the</strong> Aldobrandini<br />

name.<br />

On June 24, 1646, at <strong>the</strong> age <strong>of</strong> twenty-four, Prince Paolo Borghese<br />

died. To avoid <strong>the</strong> ten-thousand-scudi fee for bringing a dead body into<br />

Rome, <strong>the</strong> family smuggled him into <strong>the</strong> city hidden in a hay cart and<br />

secretly interred him in <strong>the</strong> family crypt. Olimpia Aldobrandini, <strong>the</strong><br />

princess <strong>of</strong> Rossano, was now a widow—a very beautiful, very rich<br />

young widow who urgently needed to remarry and bear a son to reap<br />

her uncle’s fortune.<br />

As soon as Prince Borghese’s death was known, speculation began<br />

about who would marry <strong>the</strong> princess. She must endure eight months <strong>of</strong><br />

mourning before remarrying, during which time a prince <strong>of</strong> Naples <strong>of</strong>fered<br />

his hand and <strong>the</strong> ruler <strong>of</strong> Modena sent flattering letters. But it was<br />

<strong>the</strong> French government, as usual, who knew what was really going on.<br />

Their spies were <strong>the</strong> best, working as indispensable servants in all <strong>the</strong><br />

most powerful households. Wise in <strong>the</strong> ways <strong>of</strong> human nature, <strong>the</strong>se<br />

spies were always looking for <strong>the</strong> woman stories, which is why <strong>the</strong> term<br />

“cherchez la femme” exists in French and no o<strong>the</strong>r language.<br />

On June 25, 1646, while Prince Paolo’s body was being stuffed into<br />

<strong>the</strong> hay cart, <strong>the</strong> French ambassador, Saint-Nicolas, sent word to Cardinal<br />

Mazarin in Paris, “Here is a rich widow who people already say will<br />

marry Cardinal Pamphili.” 3<br />

[ 199 ]

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