Fulvio Astalli (

Sambuci Sambuci is a (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Rome in the Italian region of Latium, located about east of Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the ...

Lazio Lazio ( , ; ) or Latium ( , ; from Latium, the original Latin name, ) is one of the 20 Regions of Italy, administrative regions of Italy. Situated in the Central Italy, central peninsular section of the country, it has 5,714,882 inhabitants an ...

, 29 July 1655 – Rome, 14 January 1721) was an Italian Catholic Cardinal and Bishop. He was

Dean of the College of Cardinals 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 1719 and 1721.

Biography

Coming from a noble family of Lazio, he was the nephew of Cardinals

Francesco Maidalchini Francesco Maidalchini (21 April 1631 – 13 June 1700) was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Early life Maidalchini was born 12 April 1631 in Viterbo, the son of Andrea Maidalchini and Pacifica Feliziani. His father was the br ...

and Camillo Astalli-Pamphili. He was a cleric of 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 ...

under

Pope Clement X Pope Clement X (; ; 13 July 1590 – 22 July 1676), born Emilio Bonaventura Altieri, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 29 April 1670 to his death on 22 July 1676. Emilio Bonaventura Altieri, born in Rome in ...

and President of the Arms under

Pope Innocent XI Pope Innocent 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 until his death on 12 August 1689. Political and religious tensions with ...

. He was appointed Cardinal by Pope Innocent XI in the consistory of 2 September 1686 with a special dispensation for not having yet obtained 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 ...

at the time of the appointment and for having a relative in the College of Cardinals. He was assigned the title of Cardinal deacon of

San Giorgio in Velabro San Giorgio in Velabro is a Catholic church dedicated to St. George on Via del Velabro in the historic center of Rome in the Velabrum and the Ripa district. The church—the result of the 9th century expansion of a previous diaconal building ...

. In May 1688 he opted for the deaconry of

Santa Maria in Cosmedin The Basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin (; Latin: Santa Maria ''de Schola Graeca'') is a minor basilica, minor basilican churches of Rome, church in Rome, Italy, dedicated to the Mary, mother of Jesus, Virgin Mary. It is located in the rione (neig ...

and a little over a year later for that of Santi Cosma e Damiano. In 1693 he became prefect of the

Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura () is the highest judicial authority in the Catholic Church (apart from the pope himself, who as supreme ecclesiastical judge is the final point of appeal on any ecclesiastical matter). In addition, ...

and in the same year he became Papal legate in Urbino, a position he held until 1696. From 1698 to 1701 he was Papal legate in Ferrara. In 1710 he opted for the title of Cardinal priest of

Santi Quirico e Giulitta The Roman Catholic titular church of Santi Quirico e Giulitta (Saints Quiricus and Julietta) in Rome is named after a son and mother who were martyred in 304 AD in Tarsus. The church is located in central Rome behind the Forum of Augustus. The a ...

, a title he left a few months later for that of

San Pietro in Vincoli San Pietro in Vincoli (; Saint Peter in Chains) is a Roman Catholic titular church and minor basilica in Rome, Italy. The church is on the Oppian Hill near Cavour metro station, a short distance from the Colosseum. The name alludes to the Bibl ...

. On 13 May 1714 he was consecrated Bishop directly by

Pope Clement XI Pope Clement XI (; ; ; 23 July 1649 – 19 March 1721), born Giovanni Francesco Albani, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 23 November 1700 to his death in March 1721. Clement XI was a patron of the arts an ...

, after having been appointed Cardinal bishop of Sabina. On 26 April 1719 he became

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 ...

and received also the 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 ...

. He was then also appointed governor of Velletri. Upon his death he was buried in the Basilica of

Santa Maria in Ara Coeli The Basilica of Saint Mary of the Altar in Heaven (, ) is a titular basilica and conventual church of the Franciscan Convent of Aracoeli located the highest summit of the Capitoline Hill in Rome, Italy. From 1250–1798 it was the headquarters o ...

in Rome.

Conclaves

During his Cardinalate, Fulvio Astalli participated in three conclaves: * conclave of 1689, which elected Pope Alexander VIII * conclave of 1691, which elected Pope Innocent XII * conclave of 1700, which elected Pope Clement XI

Sources

*Gaspare De Caro
ASTALLI, Fulvio
in Dizionario biografico degli italiani - Volume 4 (1962). *David M. Cheney

in Catholic Hierarchy. *Salvador Miranda, GALLO

on fiu.edu – The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, Florida International University. {{DEFAULTSORT:Astalli, Fulvio 1655 births 1721 deaths Deans of the College of Cardinals Cardinals created by Pope Innocent XI 18th-century Italian cardinals 17th-century Italian cardinals 18th-century Italian Roman Catholic bishops 17th-century Italian Roman Catholic bishops