The Ottoboni were an aristocratic Venetian family, who gained prominence in Rome after the 17th century, mainly due to the papacy of Alexander VIII and his cardinal nephew,

Pietro Ottoboni Pope Alexander VIII (; 22 April 1610 – 1 February 1691), born Pietro Vito Ottoboni, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 October 1689 to his death in February 1691. He is the most recent pope to take the ...

, known for his patronage of musicians and painters. Cardinal Ottoboni's acceptance of a role representing France at the

Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...

was objected to by the Serene Republic, whose senate had not been consulted first. A recent infraction of the rule that no Venetian citizen should serve a foreign power without the express leave of the Serenissima rankled at Venice: Cardinal Vincenzo Grimani had moved to Vienna in 1699 and was appointed viceroy of Naples in 1708. Cardinal Ottoboni did not placate the Senate, and the Ottoboni were ceremonially erased from the ''

Libro d'Oro The ''Libro d'Oro'' (''The Golden Book''), originally published between 1315 and 1797, is the formal directory of nobles in the Republic of Venice (including the Ionian Islands). It has been resurrected as the ''Libro d'Oro della Nobiltà It ...

'' and their properties confiscated. The diplomatic rupture between France and Venice was soon smoothed over, but the Ottoboni remained in disgrace.William Carew Hazlitt, ''The Venetian Republic: Its Rise, Its Growth, and Its Fall 421-1797'' 1900:294. *

Pope Alexander VIII Pope Alexander VIII (; 22 April 1610 – 1 February 1691), born Pietro Vito Ottoboni, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 October 1689 to his death in February 1691. He is the most recent pope to take the ...

(born Pietro Vito Ottoboni; 1610–1691) * Antonio Ottoboni (1646–1720), Captain General of the Church, nephew of Alexander VIII * Pietro Ottoboni (cardinal) (1667–1740), grandnephew of Alexander VIII

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ottoboni Family Republic of Venice families Families of post-ancient Rome