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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 />

d’Este to exclude Fabio Chigi if voting seemed to be going in his favor.<br />

During Chigi’s tenure as papal nuncio to Germany, he had <strong>of</strong>ten remarked<br />

that <strong>the</strong> French in general, and Cardinal Mazarin in particular,<br />

were strangely opposed to making peace. Mazarin, with his long memory<br />

and delicate ego, refused to see this man as pope.<br />

Yet more and more cardinals were talking about Chigi. True, he was<br />

too young at fifty-six and had been a cardinal for only three years, but<br />

his incorruptible standards, his international legal and diplomatic experience,<br />

and his irreproachable way <strong>of</strong> life might make up for those defects.<br />

The members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Flying Squadron, in fact, supposing that<br />

Sacchetti might very well fail because <strong>of</strong> Spanish opposition, were holding<br />

Chigi in reserve as <strong>the</strong>ir backup candidate.<br />

Given <strong>the</strong> increasing support for Chigi, it was urgent that Spada<br />

meet with <strong>the</strong> French ambassador and Olimpia to see if Chigi would be<br />

acceptable to <strong>the</strong>m. For in this election <strong>the</strong>re were not <strong>the</strong> usual two<br />

great powers with veto privileges—France and Spain. There were now<br />

three: France, Spain, and Olimpia. Before Spada returned to <strong>the</strong> conclave,<br />

he was seen entering <strong>the</strong> Palazzo Pamphili.<br />

Gregorio Leti harrumphed, “Because, to tell <strong>the</strong> truth, putting aside<br />

<strong>the</strong> interests <strong>of</strong> Spain and France, everything centered on ei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> protection<br />

or <strong>the</strong> ruin <strong>of</strong> Donna Olimpia. To see her ruined, <strong>the</strong> cardinals<br />

who were her enemies would have given <strong>the</strong>ir vote not only to an unworthy<br />

candidate, but to <strong>the</strong> devil himself as long as he was her enemy.<br />

And, on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r side, those who were looking out for her interests<br />

would have had no difficulty in rejecting a saint if he had shown <strong>the</strong><br />

least aversion to this woman.” 7<br />

Certainly Chigi would not have been Olimpia’s preference. Yet if<br />

Chigi were elected, would he go out <strong>of</strong> his way to punish <strong>the</strong> family <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> pope who had plucked him from obscurity and made him a cardinal?<br />

Would he hold a grudge against her for all those prickling insults?<br />

Olimpia was not sure. But <strong>the</strong> Flying Squadron and <strong>the</strong> Barberini cardinals,<br />

all loyal supporters <strong>of</strong> Olimpia, believed that <strong>the</strong> selfless Chigi<br />

would not be one to exact his pound <strong>of</strong> flesh.<br />

Ironically, even Olimpia’s worst enemies—Cardinals Sforza, Pallotta,<br />

and Maculano—were supportive <strong>of</strong> Chigi. With his strict sense <strong>of</strong><br />

[ 377 ]

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