Francesco del Giudice facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Francesco del Giudice |
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Francesco del Giudice (1690)
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| Church | Catholic Church |
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| Consecration | 10 February 1704 by Giuseppe Gasch |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 7 December 1647 |
| Died | 10 October 1725 (age 77) |
Francesco del Giudice (born December 7, 1647 – died October 10, 1725) was an important leader in the Catholic Church. He became a Cardinal in 1690 and served in this high position until his death in 1725. During his life, he also held many other important jobs in the church and in government.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Francesco del Giudice was born in Naples, Italy, on December 7, 1647. He was one of fifteen children! His parents were Nicolò del Giudice and Ippolita Palagana.
He started his career in the church with many different roles. He worked in important church offices, like the Apostolic Signatura. He also served as a vice-legate (a church representative) in Bologna and as a governor in places like Fano and Rome. He even held a high position called Vice-Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church.
Becoming a Cardinal
In 1690, Pope Alexander VIII chose Francesco del Giudice to become a cardinal priest. He officially received his "red hat" (a symbol of a cardinal) on April 10, 1690. At this time, he was given the titulus (a church in Rome that a cardinal is linked to) of Santa Maria del Popolo.
After becoming a cardinal, he was named the cardinal protector of Spain. This meant he looked after Spain's interests within the Catholic Church. He also took part in the conclave of 1691, which was the meeting where cardinals elected a new pope, Pope Innocent XII.
Key Roles and Influence
In 1696, he was offered a promotion to lead the archdiocese of Salerno, but he chose not to accept it. From 1698 to 1699, he managed Spanish affairs in Rome. In 1700, he changed his titulus from Santa Maria del Popolo to Santa Sabina. He also participated in the conclave of 1700, which elected Pope Clement XI.
In December 1701, Cardinal Giudice took on a major government role. He became the Viceroy and Captain General of the Kingdom of Sicily. This meant he was the chief ruler of Sicily on behalf of the king.
Archbishop of Monreale
On January 14, 1704, Cardinal Giudice was chosen to be the Archbishop of Monreale. He was officially made a bishop in a special ceremony on February 10, 1704, in Palermo. The ceremony was led by Giuseppe Gasch, who was the Archbishop of Palermo.
Grand Inquisitor of Spain
In 1711, Philip V of Spain appointed Cardinal Giudice as the Grand Inquisitor of Spain. This was a very powerful position, as he became the head of the Spanish Inquisition. He officially started this role on June 11, 1711.
He faced some challenges in this role. In 1714, he briefly lost royal favor when he issued an order against certain writings. However, he was allowed to return to Spain later that year. In 1716, disagreements with another cardinal, Giulio Alberoni, led him to resign from his position as Grand Inquisitor.
Later Years and Death
Cardinal Giudice continued to hold important church positions. On July 12, 1717, he changed his titulus again, this time to the Suburbicarian See of Palestrina. He kept his role as Archbishop of Monreale.
From 1719 to 1720, he served as Austria's minister to the Holy See (the government of the Catholic Church). In 1719, he also became the Secretary of the Roman Inquisition, a job he held until his death.
He continued to change his titulus to other important suburban sees, including the Suburbicarian See of Frascati in 1721. He participated in two more papal elections: the conclave of 1721 that elected Pope Innocent XIII, and the conclave of 1724 that elected Pope Benedict XIII.
On June 12, 1724, he became the Dean of the College of Cardinals. This is the highest position among the cardinals. He then changed his titular see to the Suburbicarian See of Ostia. He resigned as Archbishop of Monreale on February 15, 1725.
Cardinal Giudice passed away in Rome on October 10, 1725, at the age of 77. His funeral was held at San Marcello al Corso with Pope Benedict XIII attending. His remains were later moved to Naples for permanent burial in Santa Maria del Carmine.
See also
In Spanish: Francesco del Giudice para niños
