mistress of the vatican.pdf - End Time Deception

Mistress of the Vatican
Olimpia, the sister-in-law of an important nuncio and cardinal in
pectore, would have called frequently on Anna Colonna, the first lady of
Rome, to render her respects, attend social events, and loudly praise
Gianbattista’s work in Madrid. It is tempting to imagine Olimpia’s feelings
as she entered the lofty marble halls and strode through the fragrant
gardens cooled by a wholesome breeze.
Olimpia’s Casa Pamphili could never be as impressive as the Palazzo
Barberini. Her home was hot, for one thing, in a low-lying, flood-prone
area of the city where there were no cool breezes. There was no room for
a garden in her tiny courtyard, and certainly not behind the house,
hemmed in on all sides by busy streets, vegetable sellers, the post office,
and drunken pasquinade writers. Though Olimpia oozed with charm at
Anna Colonna’s events, it is possible she was also lime green with envy. If
Olimpia ever got Gianbattista elected pope, then she would be first lady
of Rome and could own such a palace. Maybe even this palace.
Urban named Prince Taddeo the prefect of Rome, a title of great
honor and income but only ceremonial duties. Yet with this empty title
he created a diplomatic furor by claiming that he, as prefect, had precedence
over all the ambassadors. He would march first in the parades; he
would have the more honorable seat at dinner parties. The ambassadors
of France and Spain, who were the personal representatives of their
monarchs, were so insulted that they boycotted any function where the
pope’s obnoxious nephew would push them out of the way. They were
finally recalled in protest by their kings, a huge snub to Urban.
The pope was more fortunate in Taddeo’s brother Cardinal Francesco,
who had accompanied Gianbattista to Paris and Madrid. The
cardinal was a great scholar who translated ancient Greek, experimented
in botany, and with his collection of rare books and manuscripts
founded the Barberini Library, the most extensive library in Rome after
that of the Vatican. With regards to his personality, however, he was not
exactly a barrel of laughs. In 1630 the Venetian ambassador Alvise Contarini
described Cardinal Francesco as “choleric, melancholy, greedy,
and pretentious,” though he was respected for his chaste way of life. 4
Not so the third brother, Antonio, who became cardinal in 1627 at
the tender age of twenty. “The great inclination he has had to women
[ 83 ]