Giambattista Spinola (20 September 1615 – 4 January 1704) was a

cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...

of the Catholic Church and an

Archbishop of Genoa The Archdiocese of Genoa ( la, Archidioecesis Ianuensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Italy. Erected in the 3rd century, it was elevated to an archdiocese on 20 March 1133. The archdiocese of Gen ...

. (for Chronology of Bishops) Giambattista was born in Madrid, Spain, the fourth of the twelve children of Luca Spinola and Battina Lomellini. They were immigrants from Genoa in Italy, members of the influential

Spinola family The House of Spinola, or Spinola family, was a leading Italian political family centered in the Republic of Genoa. Their influence was at its greatest extent in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Important members Guido Spinola was one o ...

of that city, which had long been active in Genoese politics. He was the nephew of Cardinal

Giandomenico Spinola Giandomenico Spinola (1580 – 11 August 1646) (also Giovanni Domenico Spinola) Early life Spinola was born in 1580 in Genoa. Though few records exist detailing his family background or education, he is listed as ''Questore'' ( commissioner) of ...

. During his career, he participated in three

papal conclave A papal conclave is a gathering of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop of Rome, also known as the pope. Catholics consider the pope to be the Apostolic succession, apostolic successor of Saint ...

s. Spinola studied law as a young man, receiving the degree of '' Doctor in utroque iure''. At an unknown date he entered Church service. In 1648 he was appointed as archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Acerenza and Matera, while still a deacon. He became the

in 1664. Additionally he was named as Secretary for the

Sacred Congregation of Bishops and Regulars In the Roman Curia, a congregation ( lat, Sacræ Cardinalium Congregationes) is a type of department of the Curia. They are second-highest-ranking departments, ranking below the two Secretariats, and above the pontifical councils, pontifical co ...

by Pope Clement X, as well as Governor of Rome and Vice Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, while retaining the Secretariat of the Sacred Congregation. He served as Governor of Rome from 26 October 1675 until 1 September 1681, when he was named a cardinal, but continued to hold the office with the title pro-Governor until he was succeeded by his nephew of the same name on 28 July 1691. He was forced to resign as Archbishop of Genoa on 16 March 1681 for reasons of health. Shortly after his resignation, Spinola was named a Cardinal Priest by

Pope Innocent XI Pope Innocent XI ( la, Innocentius XI; it, Innocenzo XI; 16 May 1611 – 12 August 1689), born Benedetto Odescalchi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 21 September 1676 to his death on August 12, 1689. Poli ...

, with his titular church that of

Santa Cecilia in Trastevere Santa Cecilia in Trastevere is a 5th-century church in Rome, Italy, in the Trastevere rione, devoted to the Roman martyr Saint Cecilia (early 3rd century AD). History The first church on this site was founded probably in the 3rd century, by Pop ...

in Rome. He served briefly in the position of Chamberlain of the College of Cardinals, a one-year term that ran from January 1691 to January 1692, to which he was reappointed but resigned in March 1692, for reasons of health. In 1696 he opted for the titular church of the Basilica of

Sant'Agnese fuori le mura The church of Saint Agnes Outside the Walls ( it, Sant'Agnese fuori le mura) is a titulus church, minor basilica in Rome, on a site sloping down from the Via Nomentana, which runs north-east out of the city, still under its ancient name. What a ...

in Rome, a title he held until he opted for that of the Church of

Santa Maria in Trastevere The Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere ( it, Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere); en, Our Lady in Trastevere) is a titular minor basilica in the Trastevere district of Rome, and one of the oldest churches of Rome. The basic floor plan and ...

in 1698. Spinola died in his palace in Rome on 4 January 1704. His body was laid out in the Church of

San Lorenzo in Lucina The Minor Basilica of St. Lawrence in Lucina ( it, Basilica Minore di San Lorenzo in Lucina or simply it, San Lorenzo in Lucina; la, S. Laurentii in Lucina) is a Roman Catholic parish, titular church, and minor basilica in central Rome, Italy. ...

, with his burial taking place on 7 March 1704 at the Church of San Salvatore alle Coppelle, in front of the main altar.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spinola, Giambattista 1615 births 1704 deaths People from Madrid Spanish people of Italian descent People of Ligurian descent Roman Catholic archbishops of Genoa Burials at San Salvatore alle Coppelle 17th-century Italian cardinals