Pope Innocent X facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pope Innocent X |
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| Bishop of Rome | |
Portrait of Innocent X, by Diego Velázquez, 1650
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| Church | Catholic Church |
| Papacy began | 15 September 1644 |
| Papacy ended | 7 January 1655 |
| Predecessor | Urban VIII |
| Successor | Alexander VII |
| Orders | |
| Consecration | 25 January 1626 by Laudivio Zacchia |
| Created Cardinal | 19 November 1629 |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Giovanni Battista Pamphilj or Pamphili |
| Born | 6 May 1574 Rome, Papal States |
| Died | 7 January 1655 (aged 80) Rome, Papal States |
| Previous post |
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| Motto | Allevitæ sunt aquæ super terram ("The Waters are Lifted Above the Earth") |
| Coat of arms |  |
| Other Popes named Innocent | |
Pope Innocent X (born Giovanni Battista Pamphilj) was the leader of the Catholic Church and the ruler of the Papal States from 1644 until his death in 1655. He was born on May 6, 1574, and passed away on January 7, 1655.
Giovanni Battista Pamphilj came from a family in Gubbio, a town in Umbria, Italy. His family moved to Rome during the time of Pope Innocent IX. He studied law and became a lawyer. He then followed a traditional career path within the Church. He became an auditor (a type of judge) and later a cardinal-priest. Before becoming pope, he worked as a diplomat for the Pope in places like Naples, France, and Spain.
He became Pope Innocent X on September 15, 1644, after Pope Urban VIII died. His election was a bit difficult because there was a rivalry between French and Spanish groups.
Pope Innocent X was known for being a very smart political leader. He greatly increased the power of the Holy See (the Pope's government). He was involved in important events like the English Civil War. He also had disagreements with French church officials about money issues. He also had conflicts with the Duchy of Parma.
In terms of religious beliefs, Pope Innocent X issued an official statement. This statement condemned certain ideas of a religious movement called Jansenism.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Giovanni Battista Pamphili was born in Rome on May 5, 1574. His family was the Roman Pamphili family. This family originally came from Gubbio.
In 1594, he finished his studies at the Roman College. He then began a traditional career in the Catholic Church. In 1601, he became a lawyer for the Church. In 1604, he took over from his uncle, Cardinal Girolamo Pamphili. He became an auditor at the Roman Rota, which is a high court for the Church. He also worked as a legal expert for another Church court.
In 1623, Pope Gregory XV sent him to work as a diplomat in Naples. In 1625, Pope Urban VIII sent him to join his nephew, Francesco Barberini. They served as diplomats first in France and then in Spain. In January 1626, Pamphili was given the title of Latin Patriarch of Antioch.
As a reward for his hard work, Giovanni Battista was made a diplomat to the court of Philip IV of Spain in May 1626. This job created a strong connection with the Spanish. This connection was very helpful during the election for the next pope in 1644. He was secretly made a Cardinal in 1627, and this was announced publicly in 1629.
Becoming Pope
The 1644 Papal Election
The election to choose the next pope in 1644 was long and difficult. It lasted from August 9 to September 15. A large group of French cardinals did not want the Spanish candidate to become pope. This was because the Spanish candidate was an enemy of Cardinal Mazarin, who guided French politics.
The French group suggested their own candidate. However, they could not get enough support for him. So, they agreed to Cardinal Pamphili as a good compromise. This was even though he had worked as a diplomat in Spain. Cardinal Mazarin, who had the power to veto (block) Pamphili's election, arrived too late. The election had already happened.
Pope Innocent X's Rule
| Papal styles of Pope Innocent X |
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| Reference style | His Holiness |
| Spoken style | Your Holiness |
| Religious style | Holy Father |
| Posthumous style | None |
Pamphili chose the name Innocent X. Soon after he became pope, he started legal actions against the Barberini family. They were accused of misusing public money. The Barberini brothers fled to Paris, where Cardinal Mazarin protected them. Innocent X took away their property. In 1646, he issued a rule saying that any cardinal who left the Papal States for six months without the Pope's permission would lose their benefits and eventually their cardinal title.
The French parliament said this rule was not valid in France. But Innocent X did not give in until Mazarin prepared to send soldiers to Italy. After this, the Pope's policy towards France became friendlier. Later, the Barberini family was allowed to return. This happened when Taddeo Barberini's son married Innocent X's niece.
In 1653, Innocent X issued a papal bull (an official document) called Cum occasione. In this document, he condemned five ideas from a book called Augustinus by Jansenius. He said these ideas were wrong and similar to Lutheranism. This led to a big debate and eventually to the destruction of a Jansenist convent.
Conflicts with Parma
It is said that Pope Urban VIII's death was made worse by his sadness over the outcome of the First War of Castro. This was a war he had started against the duke of Parma. Fighting between the Pope and the Duchy of Parma began again in 1649. Forces loyal to Pope Innocent X destroyed the city of Castro on September 2, 1649.
Innocent X did not agree with the terms of the Peace of Westphalia. This was a peace treaty that ended a major European war. His diplomat, Fabio Chigi, protested it without success. In 1650, Innocent X issued a document called Zelo Domus Dei against the Peace of Westphalia. He dated it back to 1648 to try and claim back land and property that had been taken. However, the European powers ignored his protests.
Support During the English Civil War
During the English Civil War (1642–49) in England and Ireland, Innocent X strongly supported the independent Confederate Ireland. He did this even though Cardinal Mazarin and the former English Queen, Henrietta Maria, did not agree. The Pope sent Giovanni Battista Rinuccini, an archbishop, as a special diplomat to Ireland. He arrived with many weapons and a large amount of money.
Rinuccini hoped he could convince the Irish Confederates not to join with Charles I and the Royalists in the English Civil War. Instead, he wanted them to create an independent Ireland ruled by Catholics. In Ireland, Rinuccini was welcomed with great respect. He stated that his goal was to support the king. But most importantly, he wanted to help the Catholic people of Ireland. He aimed to secure their right to practice their religion freely and publicly. He also wanted to restore churches and church property. In the end, Oliver Cromwell brought Ireland back under the control of the Parliamentarian side. Rinuccini returned to Rome in 1649 after four years with no success.
Other Achievements
When Pope Urban VIII was in power, the future Innocent X was his biggest rival among the cardinals. Cardinal Antonio Barberini, Urban VIII's brother, ordered a painting by Guido Reni around 1635. This painting shows the Archangel Michael stepping on Satan. Satan in the painting has features that look like Innocent X. This painting is still in a chapel in Rome. A story says that Guido Reni, the artist, felt insulted by rumors he thought Cardinal Pamphili had spread.
A few years later, when Pamphili became pope, other Barberini relatives fled to France. They were accused of misusing money. Despite this, the Capuchin monks kept the painting in their chapel.
Innocent X was also responsible for making the Colegio de Santo Tomás de Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario into a university. Today, it is the University of Santo Tomás in Manila. It is the oldest university still existing in Asia.
In 1650, Innocent X celebrated a special Christian event called a Jubilee. He made Rome more beautiful. He added inlaid floors and carvings to Saint Peter's. He also ordered the building of Bernini's Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of Four Rivers) in Piazza Navona. This square was important to the Pamphili family. He also ordered the construction of a new palace at the Campidoglio.
Innocent X is also the subject of a very famous painting by Diego Velázquez. It is called Portrait of Innocent X. This painting is in the Doria Pamphili family art gallery. This portrait later inspired the "Screaming Pope" paintings by the 20th-century artist Francis Bacon. The most famous of these is Bacon's Study after Velázquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X.
Olimpia Maidalchini
Olimpia Maidalchini was married to Innocent X's late brother. She was thought to have a lot of influence over him. People believed she influenced his decisions about promotions and politics.
The German historian Leopold von Ranke studied this relationship. He concluded that she was not Innocent X's lover.
Death and Legacy
In his later years, Innocent X suffered from gout. This caused him a lot of pain and made it hard for him to move around. The Pope was eighty years old, and his health started to get worse in August 1654. By the evening of December 26, his condition was so bad that his family was called.
On December 27, he blessed his nephew, niece, and their children. Then he had a short meeting with two cardinals. That night, he rested a little, but his condition did not get better.
On December 28, Innocent X received the Last rites (a religious ceremony for the sick). He said he wanted to say goodbye to the cardinals. Many cardinals had already gathered in Rome because they expected the Pope to die soon. Thirty-nine cardinals gathered by his bed.
On January 1, 1655, a religious service called Mass was held by the Pope's bedside. The same was done on January 6. On that day, Innocent X also received the Viaticum for the last time. His Secretary of State and other attendants were present when the Pope died on the night of January 6, 1655.
After an examination, his body was preserved. The next day, it was taken to the Vatican. On January 8, it was moved to St. Peter's Basilica. His coffin was sealed in front of several cardinals and princes. A funeral was held on January 17. Innocent X's tomb is in the Church of Sant'Agnese in Agone. He had built this church in 1652 next to his family palace in Rome.
Pope Alexander VII became the next pope. He had promised Innocent X that he would build more schools in Europe.
See also
In Spanish: Inocencio X para niños
- Cardinals created by Innocent X
- Pamphili, with Innocent X's family tree
- Portrait of Innocent X
- Study after Velázquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X
