Cornelio Malvasia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1603  Bologna, Papal States |
| Died | 1664 (aged 60–61) Modena, Duchy of Modena and Reggio |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Occupation | Aristocrat, patron of astronomy and military leader |
Cornelio Malvasia, Marquis di Bismantova (1603 - 1664) was an Italian aristocrat, patron of astronomy and military leader.
Malvasia was born in 1603 to an aristocratic family of Bologna and was the cousin of Carlo Cesare Malvasia. [1]
During the Wars of Castro he led papal army cavalry against the Dukes of Parma. He became close to the nephews of Pope Urban VIII and his later correspondence and publications carried the Barberini crest; three bees. His cousin Carlo later received assistance, in Rome, from Barberini loyalist, Cardinal Marzio Ginetti.
Despite the Duchy of Modena having sided with the Dukes of Parma during the Wars of Castro, Malvasia later became a military advisor to Alfonso IV d'Este, Duke of Modena. He was later named Marechal of the French army in Italy while Francesco II d'Este (later Duke of Modena after his father) was General of that army.
In 1656 he visited Paris and received honours from King Louis XIV of France - a 400 doppie annual pension for his position of Marechal and a gift of a diamond bottoniera from Cardinal Mazarin. [1]
Throughout his military career, Malvasia maintained a strong general interest in astronomy, optics and scientific engineering. He is credited with having contributed to the invention of the reticle or "cross-hairs" during the 1620s; final credit is usually ascribed to Robert Hooke. [2]
Malvasia was elected a Senator of Bologna and began construction of the privately owned Panzano Observatory in the early 1640s. [3]
In 1645 Malvasia invited Giovanni Domenico Cassini to Bologna and offered him a position in his observatory, which was close to completion. Most of their time was spent calculating newer, better, and more accurate ephemerides for astrological purposes using the rapidly advancing astronomical methods and tools of the day. [4] 17 years later, in 1662, their collaborative work, Ephemerides novissimae motuum coelestium, was published by Malvasia. It was dedicated to Cardinal Giulio Cesare Sacchetti - twice nominated by Antonio Barberini as the French candidate for pope [5] - and included a rather laudatory dedication in which Malvasia claimed he could trace Sacchetti's ancestry back to Ancient Roman gods. [6]
Malvasia corresponded with a number of other contemporary astronomers during his development of new methods. [7]
Pope Urban VIII, born Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 August 1623 to his death, in July 1644. As pope, he expanded the papal territory by force of arms and advantageous politicking, and was also a prominent patron of the arts and a reformer of Church missions.
Pope Innocent X, born Giovanni Battista Pamphilj, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 September 1644 to his death, in January 1655.
Ranuccio II Farnese was the sixth Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1646 until his death nearly 50 years later and Duke of Castro from 1646 until 1649.
The Wars of Castro were a series of conflicts during the mid-17th century revolving around the ancient city of Castro, which eventually resulted in the city's destruction on 2 September 1649. The conflict was a result of a power struggle between the papacy – represented by members of two deeply entrenched Roman families and their popes, the Barberini and Pope Urban VIII and the Pamphili and Pope Innocent X – and the Farnese dukes of Parma, who controlled Castro and its surrounding territories as the Duchy of Castro.
The House of Barberini is a family of the Italian nobility that rose to prominence in the 17th century Rome. Their influence peaked with the election of Cardinal Maffeo Barberini to the papal throne in 1623, as Pope Urban VIII. Their urban palace, the Palazzo Barberini, completed in 1633 by Bernini, today houses Italy's Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica.
The nobility of Italy comprised individuals and their families of the Italian Peninsula, and the islands linked with it, recognized by the sovereigns of the Italian city-states since the Middle Ages, and by the kings of Italy after the unification of the region into a single state, the Kingdom of Italy.
Antonio Barberini was an Italian Catholic cardinal, Archbishop of Reims, military leader, patron of the arts and a prominent member of the House of Barberini. As one of the cardinal-nephews of Pope Urban VIII and a supporter of France, he played a significant role at a number of the papal conclaves of the 17th century. With his brothers Cardinal Francesco Barberini and Taddeo Barberini he helped to shape politics, religion, art and music of 17th century Italy. He is sometimes referred to as Antonio the Younger or Antonio Barberini iuniore to distinguish him from his uncle Antonio Marcello Barberini.
Francesco I d'Este was Duke of Modena and Reggio from 1629 until his death. The eldest son of Alfonso III d'Este, he became reigning duke after his father's abdication.
Taddeo Barberini (1603–1647) was an Italian nobleman of the House of Barberini who became Prince of Palestrina and Gonfalonier of the Church; commander of the Papal Army. He was a nephew of Pope Urban VIII and brother of Cardinals Francesco Barberini and Antonio Barberini. Thanks to their uncle's famous nepotism, the brothers shaped 17th-century Italian politics, religion, art, music and architecture.
Gil de Albornoz y Espinosa, called Egidio Carillo Albornozio in Italian sources, was a Spanish Catholic Cardinal who led the Spanish delegation at the papal conclave of 1644.
The 1644 papal conclave was called upon the death of Pope Urban VIII. It lasted from 9 August to 15 September 1644; the cardinal electors chose Cardinal Giovanni Battista Pamphili, who took office as Pope Innocent X.
Giulio Cesare Sacchetti was an Italian Catholic Cardinal and was twice included in the French Court's list of acceptable candidates for the Papacy, in 1644 and 1655.
Rinaldo d'Este was an Italian Catholic cardinal.
The 1655 papal conclave was convened following the death of Pope Innocent X and ended with the election of Cardinal Fabio Chigi as Alexander VII. The conclave quickly reached a deadlock, with Giulio Cesare Sacchetti receiving 33 votes throughout the conclave, but never securing enough for his own election. After several months of deliberation and negotiation, Chigi was elected Pope when Cardinal Mazarin, the leader of the French government, consented to Chigi's election at the request of Sacchetti.
Marzio Ginetti was an Italian Catholic Cardinal and Cardinal Vicar of Rome.
Carlo Rossetti (Roscetti) (1614 – 23 November 1681) was an Italian Catholic Cardinal, born of the noble Rossetti family in Ferrara. Earlier in his career he went to London as a secret nuncio on behalf of Pope Urban VIII. While in London, he was addressed as Lord Charles Rossetti and was referred to as Prince Rossetti, using his title as Italian nobility for his cover, rather than as a representative of the Roman Catholic Church to avoid persecution.
Vincenzo Maculani was an Italian Catholic Cardinal, inquisitor and military architect. He was known as a severe man, harsh and without compassion, who preferred the black cappa of his order to the brighter red he was later entitled to wear as a cardinal.
Lelio Falconieri (1585–1648) was an Italian Catholic Cardinal.
Giovanni Stefano Donghi was an Italian Catholic cardinal.
The Sacchetti family is an Italian noble family originating in Tuscany, now resident in Rome, whose earliest documented member Merlo lived during the late 10th and early 11th centuries. The name of the family is derived from one or more members known as Sacchetto. According to Ugolino di Vieri (1438–1516),"nobile Sacchetti genus est, moenia primus romanus sangius".