mistress of the vatican.pdf - End Time Deception

Eleanor Herman
Tensions already ran high. That evening, Giacinto Gigli noted, Cardinals
Astalli and Azzolini fell into a violent shouting match and ended
up slapping each other. Given the fact that Astalli was Olimpia’s vicious
enemy, and Azzolini her staunchest supporter, it is likely that the subject
of the argument was Olimpia.
On January 24, the rumor raced across Rome that Cardinal Francesco
Barberini would become pope. Olimpia, Maffeo, and Olimpiuccia
received the news with glad hearts, and the bookies changed their
odds to favor him. But it proved untrue. Other papabili were proposed
and ditched for various reasons. Cardinal Spada was highly regarded
but not well liked. Spain supported the election of Cardinal Francesco
Rapaccioli, but at forty-six, he would likely have such a long reign that
none of the older cardinals would get a chance to be pope.
Cardinal Ulderico Carpegna was pushed by France if Sacchetti fell
out of the running. At fifty-nine he was almost of suitable age. But his
greatest disadvantage was his young, vivacious sister-in-law, who was best
friends with the princess of Rossano and despised Olimpia. The sisterin-law
had not only numerous poor relatives but insatiable ambition.
The cardinals shuddered to think of another Olimpia storming into the
Vatican and telling them all what to do.
Cardinal Cecchini, the former datary, was well respected but suffered
from family disadvantages, which also reminded the cardinals of
Innocent. “He lets himself be dominated by his sister-in-law more than
is usual,” the Venetian ambassador wrote. “His only nephew has very
little in the way of a brain, and of the countless other relatives, none is
very smart.” 1
On January 27 the conclave was opened briefly to allow the just-arrived
ambassador of the Holy Roman Emperor to meet with cardinals.
In the meantime word leaked out that Cardinal Maidalchini was denouncing
his aunt Olimpia in dramatic speeches.
On January 30, the Florentine envoy Riccardi reported, “Signora
Donna Olimpia said that she is more mortified by the way Maidalchini
is acting, having allied himself with her enemies, than of the death of
the pope and of the many pasquinades and writings against her. . . . I
hear that in conclave he continues to speak ill of his aunt, as he used to
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