28.10.2014 Views

mistress of the vatican.pdf - End Time Deception

mistress of the vatican.pdf - End Time Deception

mistress of the vatican.pdf - End Time Deception

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

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

Who are asked to remember her by this monument<br />

And among whom she lived<br />

To <strong>the</strong> increasing and greater dignity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> town<br />

With <strong>the</strong> loving care <strong>of</strong><br />

Universally bestowed charity<br />

She wishes to establish<br />

A lasting testimony <strong>of</strong> affection<br />

1647<br />

The date <strong>of</strong> death would be filled in later. It is interesting that Olimpia<br />

used <strong>the</strong> term “to feel she was protected in life.” Clearly, she felt unprotected,<br />

unsafe, as though something awful was waiting for her just<br />

around <strong>the</strong> corner.<br />

Because it was not an elaborate tomb with numerous marble and<br />

bronze statues such as many Roman nobles commissioned, it was completed<br />

quickly. Now Olimpia could die at any time and have a fitting<br />

resting place ready to receive her.<br />

Ice was melting <strong>of</strong>f <strong>the</strong> relationship between France and <strong>the</strong> Papal<br />

States. Mazarin had stopped playing war games and was sending<br />

friendly letters to <strong>the</strong> pope. As <strong>the</strong> thaw set in, he hoped that soon his<br />

dearest wish would become a reality—a cardinal’s hat for his idiot<br />

bro<strong>the</strong>r. And now he knew exactly who could get it for him.<br />

At <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> May 1647, <strong>the</strong> new French ambassador, <strong>the</strong> marquis de<br />

Fontenay, arrived in Rome with a most brilliant suite—twenty-four<br />

pages, forty valets, and three hundred men, <strong>the</strong> entire retinue and <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

horses dazzlingly attired to outshine <strong>the</strong> ra<strong>the</strong>r tarnished glory <strong>of</strong> Spain.<br />

The marquis called first on Innocent in <strong>the</strong> Vatican. Next, his train <strong>of</strong><br />

carriages made <strong>the</strong>ir way to a more important meeting at <strong>the</strong> Piazza<br />

Navona. To receive <strong>the</strong> ambassador, Olimpia had created a kind <strong>of</strong><br />

court with herself as queen and numerous ladies-in-waiting hovering<br />

attentively nearby. The marquis respectfully saluted her, noting that she<br />

“was accompanied by ten principal ladies <strong>of</strong> Rome, richly dressed.” 1<br />

Fontenay was dumbfounded by <strong>the</strong> dignity <strong>of</strong> a woman whom he<br />

q<br />

[ 211 ]

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!