Nicolò Acciaioli or Niccolò Acciaiuoli (Florence, 6 July 1630 – Rome, 25 February 1719), was an Italian Cardinal. He was

Dean of the Sacred College The dean of the College of Cardinals () presides over the College of Cardinals in the Catholic Church, serving as ('first among equals'). The position was established in the 12th century. He always holds the rank of a cardinal bishop and is as ...

between 1715 and 1719.

Biography

He belonged to the noble Florentine

Acciaioli family The Acciaioli family, also spelled Acciaiuoli, Accioly, Aciole, Acciajuoli or Acioli was an important Italian noble family from Florence, whose members were the ruling Dukes of Athens. History Family name is also written Acciaioli, Acciainoli, ...

, third of the ten children of Senator Ottaviano Acciaioli and Maria Acciaioli and was the uncle of Cardinal Filippo Acciaioli (1700 – 1766). He graduated in law in Rome. In 1657 he became Auditor camerae at the

Apostolic Camera The Apostolic Camera (), formerly known as the was an office in the Roman Curia. It was the central board of finance in the papal administrative system and at one time was of great importance in the government of the States of the Church and ...

. In the consistory of 29 November 1669 he was appointed Cardinal by

Pope Clement IX Pope Clement IX (; ; 28 January 1600 – 9 December 1669), born Giulio Rospigliosi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 20 June 1667 to his death in December 1669. Giulio Rospigliosi was born into the noble Ro ...

despite not having yet received his

minor orders In Christianity, minor orders are ranks of church ministry. In the Catholic Church, the predominating Latin Church formerly distinguished between the major orders—priest (including bishop), deacon and subdeacon—and four minor orders— acolyt ...

. Only in March of the following year, he received the title of Cardinal-deacon assigned to the deaconry of Santi Cosma e Damiano. He was

Papal legate 300px, A woodcut showing Henry II of England greeting the Pope's legate. A papal legate or apostolic legate (from the ancient Roman title '' legatus'') is a personal representative of the Pope to foreign nations, to some other part of the Catho ...

to the city of

Ferrara Ferrara (; ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Emilia-Romagna, Northern Italy, capital of the province of Ferrara. it had 132,009 inhabitants. It is situated northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main ...

on several occasions for several years. In 1689 he became

Cardinal protodeacon A cardinal is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. As titular members of the clergy of the Diocese of Rome, they serve as advisors to the pope, who is the bishop of Rome and the visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. C ...

and in October of the same year he opted for the deaconry of

Santa Maria in Via Lata Santa Maria in Via Lata is a church on the Via del Corso (the ancient Via Lata), in Rome, Italy. It stands diagonal from the church of San Marcello al Corso. It is the stational church for Tuesday in the fifth week of lent. History The first ...

, but already one month later he became Cardinal priest of

San Callisto San Callisto (, ) is a Roman Catholic titular church in Rome, Italy, built over the site of Pope Callixtus I's martyrdom (c. AD 222). History The original building dates from the time of Pope Gregory III (r. 731–741), who ordered the building ...

. In 1690 he was appointed Abbot commendatory of the abbey of Sant'Angelo de Frigillo in

Mesoraca Mesoraca () is a ''comune'' and town in the province of Crotone, in Calabria, southern Italy. Economy Mesoraca relies on the production of oil, wine, cereals, citruses, and intensive cattle rearing. Twin towns — sister cities Mesoraca is t ...

, Calabria. Three years later he became

Cardinal bishop of Frascati The Diocese of Frascati (Lat.: ''Tusculana'') is a Latin suburbicarian see of the Diocese of Rome and a diocese of the Catholic Church in Italy, based at Frascati, near Rome. The bishop of Frascati is a Cardinal Bishop; from the Latin name of the ...

, receiving episcopal consecration on 8 November 1693. In 1700 he opted for the Suburbicarian Diocese of Porto–Santa Rufina. He became

in 1715 and had the title of Cardinal bishop of the Suburbicarian sees of Ostia and

Velletri Velletri (; ; ) is an Italian ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Rome, approximately 40 km to the southeast of the city centre, located in the Alban Hills, in the region of Lazio, central Italy. Neighbouring communes are Rocca di Papa, Lar ...

, also assuming the office of Governor of Velletri.
In 1717 he became secretary of the Congregation of the Sacred Roman and Universal Inquisition, a position he held until his death. His body is buried in the church of San Lorenzo, near the

Florence Charterhouse Florence Charterhouse (''Certosa di Firenze'' or ''Certosa del Galluzzo'') is a charterhouse, or Carthusian monastery, located in the Florence suburb of Galluzzo, in central Italy. The building is a walled complex located on Monte Acuto, at the ...

, built by a member of his family in the 14th century.

Conclaves

Niccolò Acciaiuoli participated in the following conclaves : * 1669–1670 papal conclave, which elected Pope Clement X *

1676 papal conclave The 1676 papal conclave was convened after the death of Pope Clement X and lasted from 2 August until 21 September 1676. It led to the election of Cardinal Benedetto Odescalchi as Pope Innocent XI. Conclave After the death of Pope Clement X on ...

, which elected Pope Innocent XI *

1691 papal conclave The 1691 papal conclave was convened on the death of Pope Alexander VIII and ended with the election of Cardinal Antonio Pignatelli as Pope Innocent XII. It lasted for five months, from 12 February to 12 July 1691. The conclave became deadlocked ...

, which elected Pope Innocent XII * 1700 papal conclave, which elected Pope Clement XI

Sources

Acciaiuòli, Niccolò
in Treccani. * David M. Cheney

in Catholic Hierarchy. * Salvador Miranda

on fiu.edu – The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, Florida International University. {{DEFAULTSORT:Acciaioli, Nicolò 1630 births 1719 deaths Deans of the College of Cardinals 18th-century Italian cardinals 17th-century Italian cardinals 18th-century Italian Roman Catholic bishops 17th-century Italian Roman Catholic bishops Nicolo