Cardinal-nephew

Pietro Ottoboni, who was the last to be name cardinal nephew

A cardinal-nephew (Latin: cardinalis nepos; Italian: cardinale nipote;) was a pope's relative -- a nephew -- who was raised to the rank of cardinal. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages.

Cardinal-nephew was an office in the Curia of the Roman Catholic Church before 1692. After the death of the reigning pope, the office of cardinal-nephew was vacated.

The pope's cardinal-nephew was his chief assistant and confident. The man in this role was expected to act as if he were a relative of the pope; and sometimes -- often, he was in fact a member of the pope's extended family.

After 1692, this office was banned by Pope Innocent XII in Romanum decet pontificem.

This role and function is now filled by the Vatican's Secretary of State.

List of cardinal-nephews

Notable cardinal-nephews include many who would later become popes:

• Gregory IX
• Alexander IV
• Adrian V
• Gregory XI
• Boniface IX
• Innocent VII
• Eugene IV
• Paul II
• Alexander VI
• Pius III
• Julius II
• Leo X
• Clement VII
• Benedict XIII
• Pius VII

Cardinal-nephew Media

• 

  The Avignon Papacy (1309–1377) produced an unprecedented number of cardinal-nephews.

• 

  Pope Pius V created the curial office of the Cardinal Nephew on March 14, 1566.

• 

  Pope Innocent X named the son, nephew, and cousin of his sister-in-law Olimpia Maidalchini to the curial office of the Cardinal Nephew

• 

  Pope Gregory XV with his Cardinal Nephew of unprecedented income and authority, Ludovico Ludovisi, known as il cardinale padrone.

• 

  Pope Innocent XII abolished the curial office of the Cardinal Nephew on June 22, 1692, and strengthened the office of Cardinal Secretary of State

• 

  Pope Leo X with his cousins Giulio de' Medici (left, the future Pope Clement VII) and Luigi de' Rossi (right), whom he appointed as cardinals

• 

  Ippolito de' Medici, cardinal-nephew of Pope Clement VII and illegitimate son of Giuliano di Lorenzo de' Medici