mistress of the vatican.pdf - End Time Deception

Mistress of the Vatican
such a delicate task. Though Francesco would technically head the
mission and receive all the honor, Gianbattista, as special assistant to
the cardinal nephew, would be the brains behind it. Olimpia would
not be able to join her brother-in-law, as it was a temporary mission.
And perhaps for the first time, Gianbattista felt confident enough to
do without her.
Many at the French court, knowing the urgency of Gianbattista’s mission,
asked him for money, pensions, and honors from the Papal States in
return for pushing his agenda forward. He routinely replied, “It can’t be
done,” earning him the nickname “Monsignor It-Can’t-Be-Done.” 11
There was, unfortunately, a personality conflict between the suave silkiness
of the French courtier and the prickly suspicion of Gianbattista
Pamphili.
The mission to France failed utterly, but Urban realized this was due
to French stubbornness rather than the ineptness of his envoys. After
all, Cardinal Richelieu was known to dislike the pope’s involvement in
political matters, saying, “We must kiss his feet and bind his hands.” 12
Urban immediately packed his diplomats off to the court of Madrid to
convince Philip IV to force the French troops to leave Valtellina and allow
the papal troops to return. But after the long voyage, when the two
arrived in Madrid they learned that France and Spain had already
made a secret peace. The Protestant enclave known as Grisons would
control the Valtellina, quite a slap in the face of the Catholic Church.
Once again, Urban realized his envoys were not at fault. He recalled
his nephew Francesco to Rome but instructed Gianbattista to remain in
Madrid as the new papal nuncio to Spain. Gianbattista Pamphili, whose
career had been stalled when Olimpia first met him, now held the single
most important diplomatic position of the Papal States.
Olimpia was not inactive during her brother-in-law’s absence. She
continued to work on Gianbattista’s behalf in Rome and was seen walking
in and out of the French and Spanish embassies. Not slowed down a
bit by the birth of her daughter Costanza in 1627, she invited the wives
and daughters of ambassadors to dine with her, listen to music, attend
card parties, and go hunting on the rolling hills around Viterbo. She
had won over Urban’s sister-in-law, Costanza Magalotti, the mother of
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