Girolamo Dandini (1509 – 4 December 1559) was an Italian cardinal and the first to serve as Cardinal Secretary of State in the Roman Curia. By the time of

Pope Innocent X Pope Innocent X ( la, Innocentius X; it, Innocenzo X; 6 May 1574 – 7 January 1655), born Giovanni Battista Pamphilj (or Pamphili), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 September 1644 to his death in Januar ...

(1644–1655), the secretary of state was always a cardinal, and

Pope Innocent XII Pope Innocent XII ( la, Innocentius XII; it, Innocenzo XII; 13 March 1615 – 27 September 1700), born Antonio Pignatelli, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 12 July 1691 to his death in September 1700. He ...

(1691–1700) abolished the office of

cardinal nephew A cardinal-nephew ( la, cardinalis nepos; it, cardinale nipote; es, valido de su tío; pt, cardeal-sobrinho; french: prince de fortune)Signorotto and Visceglia, 2002, p. 114. Modern French scholarly literature uses the term "cardinal-neveu'". ...

in 1692.

Biography

Dandini was born in

Cesena Cesena (; rgn, Cisêna) is a city and ''comune'' in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, served by Autostrada A14 (Italy), Autostrada A14, and located near the Apennine Mountains, about from the Adriatic Sea. The total population is 97,137. ...

on 25 March 1509 to a patrician family, the son of Anselmo Dandini and Giovanna Muratini. He graduated from the

University of Bologna The University of Bologna ( it, Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna, UNIBO) is a public research university in Bologna, Italy. Founded in 1088 by an organised guild of students (''studiorum''), it is the oldest university in continu ...

with a degree '' utroque iuris'' in both canon and civil law. He went to Rome and became secretary to Pope Paul III, who appointed him Protonotary apostolic. He was sent as nuncio to the court of

François I Francis I (french: François Ier; frm, Francoys; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin once ...

to negotiate peace and to agree on the celebration of a general council, June 1543 to May 1544. He was appointed

bishop of Caserta The Diocese of Caserta ( la, Dioecesis Casertana) is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory in Campania, southern Italy. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Naples.bishop of Imola The Roman Catholic Diocese of Imola ( la, Diocesis Imolensis) is a territory in Romagna, northern Italy. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Bologna.

(17 May 1546), where he was abbot '' in commendam'' of San Firmino. He renounced the see in favour of his nephew,

Anastasio Umberto Dandini Anastasio Umberto Dandini, O.S.B. was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Imola (1552–1558). ''(in Latin)'' Biography Anastasio Umberto Dandini was ordained a priest in the Order of Saint Benedict. On 11 May 1552, he was appoint ...

, who died unexpectedly in 1558, whereupon Cesare Dandini took up the see once more and held it until his death the following year. in the meantime he was again nuncio in France, charged with opposing royal support of

Protestantism Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...

at the court of the new king, Henri II, July 1546 to September 1547. As legate to Emperor Charles V he negotiated the continuation of the

Council of Trent The Council of Trent ( la, Concilium Tridentinum), held between 1545 and 1563 in Trent (or Trento), now in northern Italy, was the 19th ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. Prompted by the Protestant Reformation, it has been described a ...

and obtained assistance for the war of Parma and Mirandola. He was named to the lucrative post of commissary general of the papal army. Dandini was created cardinal by

Pope Julius III Pope Julius III ( la, Iulius PP. III; it, Giulio III; 10 September 1487 – 23 March 1555), born Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 7 February 1550 to his death in March 155 ...

, in the consistory of 20 November 1551, and was made cardinal-secretary of state, to fill the post of the incompetent cardinal-nephew

Innocenzo Ciocchi del Monte Innocenzo Ciocchi del Monte ( – 1577) was a notorious cardinal whose relationship with Pope Julius III (born Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte) caused grave scandal in the early 16th century. Born in Borgo San Donnino (now Fidenza) to a beggar- ...

. He participated in the Conclaves of 1555; in the Conclave of 1559 he had to retire from the conclave of 1559 because of illness and died in his palazzo near the Church of San Marcello, where he is buried.

References

External links and additional sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dandini, Girolamo 16th-century Italian cardinals 16th-century Italian Roman Catholic bishops Bishops of Caserta Bishops of Imola 1509 births 1559 deaths Cardinal Secretaries of State