Stefano Pignatelli (Perugia, 1578 – Rome, 12 August 1623) was an Italian cardinal. Despite his surname, he was not a member of the well-known Neapolitan noble family. His father was a potter. He completed his studies in law at the

University of Perugia University of Perugia (Italian ''Università degli Studi di Perugia'') is a public-owned university based in Perugia, Italy. It was founded in 1308, as attested by the Bull issued by Pope Clement V certifying the birth of the Studium Generale. Th ...

, where he became an intimate friend of the future cardinal

Scipione Caffarelli-Borghese Scipione Borghese (; 1 September 1577 – 2 October 1633) was an Italian Cardinal, art collector and patron of the arts. A member of the Borghese family, he was the patron of the painter Caravaggio and the artist Bernini. His legacy is the establ ...

, and was asked to accompany Borghese when he was called to Rome upon the election of his uncle as

Pope Paul V Pope Paul V ( la, Paulus V; it, Paolo V) (17 September 1550 – 28 January 1621), born Camillo Borghese, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 16 May 1605 to his death in January 1621. In 1611, he honored ...

. His closeness to Borghese eventually led to himself being created a cardinal in the

consistory Consistory is the anglicized form of the consistorium, a council of the closest advisors of the Roman emperors. It can also refer to: *A papal consistory, a formal meeting of the Sacred College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church * Consistor ...

of 11 January 1621 with the title of

Santa Maria in Via ::''This Church is not to be confused with the Church of Santa Maria in Via Lata, a Deaconry.'' Santa Maria in Via is a basilica church in Rome. The church or a chapel existed in the 9th century, but was rebuilt following reports of a miracle. I ...

. According to Cardella, the envy of the papal court made some cardinals and ambassadors on two occasions accuse him before the pope of having improper influence over Scipione Borghese (perhaps of a sexual nature), and asked for him to be excluded. In both cases, he was cleared of the accusations. Pignatelli demonstrated himself worthy of the episcopal purple, however, and participated in the conclaves of 1621, which elected Pope Gregory XV; and in the conclave of 1623, which elected Pope Urban VIII. He was a particular patron of the arts - commissioning pictures by

Guercino Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (February 8, 1591 – December 22, 1666),Miller, 1964 better known as Guercino, or il Guercino , was an Italian Baroque painter and draftsman from Cento in the Emilia region, who was active in Rome and Bologna. The vi ...

and music for the lute and guitar by

Giovanni Girolamo Kapsberger Giovanni Girolamo Kapsperger (also: ''Johann(es) Hieronymus Kapsberger'' or ''Giovanni Geronimo Kapsperger''; c. 1580 – 17 January 1651) was an Austrian-Italian virtuoso performer and composer of the early Baroque period. A prolific and highly o ...

. He died of an acute fever in 1623, and was buried in Rome, in the basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva.G. Moroni, ''Dictionary of erudizione historical-ecclesiastic (voice: " Pignatelli, Stefano, cardinale")'', vol. 53, Venice, 1851.

References

Sources

The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pignatelli, Stefano 17th-century Italian cardinals 1578 births 1623 deaths Italian art collectors 17th-century Italian Roman Catholic priests University of Perugia alumni People from Perugia