Alexander VII
Birth name	Fabio Chigi
Papacy began	April 7, 1655
Papacy ended	May 22, 1667
Predecessor	Innocent X
Successor	Clement IX
Born	February 13, 1599 Siena, Italy
Died	May 22, 1667 Rome, Italy
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Alexander VII, né Fabio Chigi (February 13, 1599 – May 22, 1667) was Pope from April 7, 1655 until his death in 1667. Image File history File links Alexander_VII.jpg Pope Alexander VII File links The following pages link to this file: Pope Alexander VII ... April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ... Events May 10 - English troops land on Jamaica March 25 - Saturns largest moon, Titan, is discovered by Christian Huygens. ... May 22 is the 142nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (143rd in leap years). ... // Events January 20 - Poland cedes Kyiv, Smolensk, and eastern Ukraine to Russia in the Treaty of Andrusovo that put a final end to the Deluge, and Poland lost its status as a Central European power. ... Innocent X, born Giovanni Battista Pamphili (May 6, 1574 – January 7, 1655) was Pope from 1644 to 1655. ... Clement IX, né Giulio Rospigliosi (January 28, 1600 - December 9, 1669) was pope from 1667 to 1669. ... February 13 is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Swedish King Sigismund III Vasa is replaced by his brother Charles IX of Sweden. ... This page is about Siena, Italy. ... May 22 is the 142nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (143rd in leap years). ... // Events January 20 - Poland cedes Kyiv, Smolensk, and eastern Ukraine to Russia in the Treaty of Andrusovo that put a final end to the Deluge, and Poland lost its status as a Central European power. ... City motto: Senatus Populusque Romanus – SPQR (The Senate and the People of Rome) Founded 21 April 753 BC mythical, 1st millennium BC Region Latium Mayor Walter Veltroni (Left-Wing Democrats) Area  - City Proper  1285 km² Population  - City (2004)  - Metropolitan  - Density (city proper) 2. ... February 13 is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Swedish King Sigismund III Vasa is replaced by his brother Charles IX of Sweden. ... May 22 is the 142nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (143rd in leap years). ... // Events January 20 - Poland cedes Kyiv, Smolensk, and eastern Ukraine to Russia in the Treaty of Andrusovo that put a final end to the Deluge, and Poland lost its status as a Central European power. ... The Pope (from Greek: pappas, father; from Latin: papa, Papa, father) is the head of the Catholic Church, which considers him the successor of St. ... April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ... Events May 10 - English troops land on Jamaica March 25 - Saturns largest moon, Titan, is discovered by Christian Huygens. ... // Events January 20 - Poland cedes Kyiv, Smolensk, and eastern Ukraine to Russia in the Treaty of Andrusovo that put a final end to the Deluge, and Poland lost its status as a Central European power. ...

Born in Siena, a member of the illustrious banking family of Chigi and a great-nephew of Pope Paul V (1605–21), he was privately tutored and eventually received doctorates of philosophy, law, and theology from the University of Siena. In 1627 he began his apprenticeship as vice-legate at Ferrara, and on recommendations from two cardinals he was appointed successively Inquisitor of Malta and nuncio in Cologne (1639–1651). Though expected to take part in the negotiations which led in 1648 to the Peace of Westphalia, he declined to deliberate with heretics, and protested, when it was finally completed, against the Treaty of Westphalia that ended the Thirty Years War (1618–48) and established the balance of European power that lasted until the wars of the French Revolution (1789). This page is about Siena, Italy. ... Chigi-Albani is the name of a Roman princely family of Sienese extraction descended from the counts of Ardenghesca. ... Paul V, né Camillo Borghese (Rome, September 17, 1552 – January 28, 1621) was Pope from May 16, 1605 until his death. ... The University of Siena (Università di Siena, UNISI) in Tuscany is one of the older universities of Italy, founded in the 13th century, initially as a Studium. ... Events A Dutch ship makes the first recorded sighting of the coast of South Australia. ... A Papal Legate -from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus- is a personal representative of the Pope to the nations, or rather to some part of the universal church. ... Ferrara is a town, an archiepiscopal see and a province in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, capital city of the province of Ferrara. ... An official in an Inquisition, an Inquisitor is literally one who searches out or inquires (Latin inquirere < quaerere, to seek). The Grand Inquisitor, or Inquisitor Generalis, was the chief Inquisitor of an Inquisition. ... From the ancient Latin Nuntius, meaning any envoy. ... Cologne Cathedral with Hohenzollern Bridge Cologne (German: (help· info) [kÅ“ln]; Kölsch: Kölle) is Germanys fourth-largest city after Berlin, Hamburg and Munich. ... Events January 14 - Connecticuts first constitution, the Fundamental Orders, is adopted. ... // Events January 1 - Charles II crowned King of Scotland in Scone. ... // Events January 17 - Englands Long Parliament passes the Vote of No Address, breaking off negotiations with King Charles I and thereby setting the scene for the second phase of the English Civil War. ... The Ratification of the Treaty of Münster by Gerard Terborch (1648) Banquet of the Amsterdam Civic Guard in Celebration of the Peace of Münster by Bartholomeus van der Helst, 1648 The Peace of Westphalia, also known as the Treaties of Münster and Osnabrück, refers to the... Heretic, meaning literally a person guilty or accused of heresy, is also often used as a title. ... The Ratification of the Treaty of Münster by Gerard Terborch (1648) The Peace of Westphalia, also known as the treaties of Münster and Osnabrück, is the series of treaties that ended the Thirty Years War and officially recognized the United Provinces and Swiss Confederation. ... The victory of Gustavus Adolphus at the Battle of Breitenfeld (1631) The Thirty Years War was a conflict fought between the years 1618 and 1648, principally in the central European territory of the Holy Roman Empire, but also involving most of the major continental powers. ... The French Revolution (1789-1799) was a period in the history of France. ...

Pope Innocent X (1644–55) recalled Chigi to Rome and subsequently made him Cardinal Secretary of State. When Innocent X died, Chigi, the candidate favoured by Spain, was elected Pope after eighty days in the conclave, on April 7, 1655, taking the name of Alexander VII. The conclave believed he was strongly opposed to the nepotism then prevalent. Indeed, in the first year of his reign, Alexander VII lived simply and forbade his relations even to visit Rome; but in consistory, April 24, 1656, he announced that his brother and nephews would be coming to assist him in Rome. The administration was given largely into the hands of his relatives, and nepotism became as luxuriously entrenched as it even had been in the Baroque Papacy: he gave them the best-paid civil and ecclesiastical offices, and princely palaces and estates suitable to the Chigi of Siena. Innocent X, born Giovanni Battista Pamphili (May 6, 1574 – January 7, 1655) was Pope from 1644 to 1655. ... The Cardinal Secretary of State presides over the Vatican Secretariat of State, which is the oldest and most important dicastery of the Roman Curia. ... The Sistine Chapel is the location of the conclave. ... April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ... Events May 10 - English troops land on Jamaica March 25 - Saturns largest moon, Titan, is discovered by Christian Huygens. ... Nepotism means favoring relatives or personal friends because of their relationship rather than because of their abilities. ... // Antiquity Originally, the Latin word consistorium meant simply sitting together, just as the Greek syn(h)edrion (from which the Biblical sanhedrin was a corruption). ... April 24 is the 114th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (115th in leap years). ... // Events Mehmed Köprülü becomes Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire. ... Nepotism means favoring relatives or personal friends because of their relationship rather than because of their abilities. ... This page is about Siena, Italy. ...

Alexander VII himself disliked the business of state, preferring literature and philosophy; a collection of his Latin poems appeared at Paris in 1656 under the title Philomathi Labores Juveniles. He also encouraged architecture, and the general improvement of Rome, where houses were razed to straighten and widen streets and where he had the opportunity to be a great patron for Gianlorenzo Bernini. The decorations of the church of Santa Maria del Popolo, titular churchs for several of the Chigi cardinals, the Scala Regia, the Chair of St. Peter in the Vatican Basilica, and in particular he sponsored Gianlorenzo Bernini's construction of the beautiful colonnade in the piazza of St. Peter's Basilica. Literature is literally acquaintance with letters as in the first sense given in the Oxford English Dictionary (from the Latin littera meaning an individual written character (letter)). The term has generally come to identify a collection of texts, which in Western culture are mainly prose, both fiction and non-fiction... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... // Events Mehmed Köprülü becomes Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire. ... The Parthenon on top of the Acropolis, Athens, Greece Table of architecture, Cyclopaedia, 1728 The following article focuses on built environment, the architecture of spaces designed for human habitation. ... A self portrait: Bernini is said to have used his own features in the David (below, left) Gian Lorenzo Bernini (Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini) (December 7, 1598 - November 28, 1680), who worked chiefly in Rome, was the pre-eminent baroque artist. ... The Church of Santa Maria del Popolo is located on the Piazza del Popolo in Rome. ... A self portrait: Bernini is said to have used his own features in the David (below, left) Gian Lorenzo Bernini (Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini) (December 7, 1598 - November 28, 1680), who worked chiefly in Rome, was the pre-eminent baroque artist. ... A piazza is an open square in a city, often used as a marketplace, found in Italy. ... The Basilica of Saint Peter from Castel SantAngelo. ...

During Alexander VII's reign occurred the conversion of Queen Christina of Sweden (1632–54), who, after her abdication, came to reside in Rome, where on Christmas Day, 1655, she was confirmed in her baptism by the Pope, in whom she found a generous friend and benefactor. Christina (Kristina) (December 8, 1626 – April 19, 1689), later known as Maria Christina Alexandra and sometimes Count Dohna, was Queen regnant of Sweden from 1632 to 1654. ... Joseph and Mary with baby Jesus, at the first Christmas Christmas (literally, the Mass of Christ) is a holiday in the Christian calendar, usually observed on December 25, which celebrates the birth of Jesus. ... Events May 10 - English troops land on Jamaica March 25 - Saturns largest moon, Titan, is discovered by Christian Huygens. ... Baptism in early Christian art. ...

Styles of Pope Alexander VII
Reference style	His Holiness
Spoken style	Your Holiness
Religious style	Holy Father
Posthumous style	none

In foreign policy his instincts were not as humanist nor as successful. Alexander VII's pontificate was shadowed by continual friction with Cardinal Mazarin, advisor to Louis XIV of France (1643–1715), who had opposed him during the negotiations that led to the Peace of Westphalia and who defended the prerogatives of the Gallican Church. During the conclave he had been hostile to Chigi's election, but was in the end compelled to accept him as a compromise. However, he prevented Louis XIV from sending the usual embassy of obedience to Alexander VII, and, while he lived, foiled the appointment of a French ambassador to Rome, diplomatic affairs being meantime conducted by cardinal protectors, generally personal enemies of the Pope. In 1662 the equally hostile Duc de Crequi was made ambassador. By his abuse of the traditional right of asylum granted to ambassadorial precincts in Rome, he precipitated a quarrel between France and the papacy, which resulted in Alexander VII's temporary loss of Avignon and his forced acceptance of the humiliating treaty of Pisa in 1664. Image File history File links Alessandro_VII.jpg http://www. ... Vatican coat of arms This image depicts a seal, an emblem, a coat of arms or a crest. ... A style of office, or honorific, is a form of address which by tradition or law precedes a reference to a person who holds a title or post, or to the office itself. ... His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso (born 1935) His Holiness is the official style or manner of address in reference to the leaders of certain religious groups. ... Humanism is a system of thought that defines a socio-political doctrine (-ism) whose bounds exceed those of locally developed cultures, to include all of humanity and all issues common to human beings. ... Cardinal Jules Mazarin, French diplomat and statesman Jules Mazarin, born Giulio Raimondo Mazzarino; but best known as Cardinal Mazarin (July 14, 1602 – March 9, 1661) served as the France from 1642, until his death. ... For the musical group of the same name, see Louis XIV (band). ... The term Gallican Church usually refers to the Roman Catholic Church in France from the time of the Declaration of the Clergy of France (1682) to that of the Civil Constitution of the Clergy (1790) during the French Revolution. ... Events March 18 – Short-timed experiment of the first public buses holding 8 passengers begins in Paris May 3/May 2 - Catherine of Braganza marries Charles II of England – as part of the dowry, Portugal cedes Bombay and Tangier to England May 9 - Samuel Pepys witnessed a Punch and Judy... View over the Rhône River to North-East with Mt Ventoux at the rear Palais des papes Square below the Palace of the Popes Paul Vs coat-of-arms on the Palais des papes The Notre Dame des Doms cathedral is located in the heart of Avignon, near... Pisa is a city in Tuscany, central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. ... Events March 12 - New Jersey becomes a colony of England. ...

He favored the Spanish in their claims against Portugal, which had re-established its traditional independence in 1640. Events December 1 - Portugal regains its independence from Spain and João IV of Portugal becomes king. ...

Alexander VII favored the Jesuits in all their ventures. When the Venetians called for help in Crete against the Ottoman Turks, the Pope extracted in return a promise that the Jesuits should be permitted back in Venetian territory, when they had been expelled in 1606. He also continued to take the Jesuit part in their conflict with the Jansenists, whose condemnation he had vigorously supported as advisor to Pope Innocent X. The French Jansenists professed that the propositions condemned in 1653 were not in fact to be found in Augustinus, written by Cornelius Jansen. Alexander VII confirmed that they were too, by the Bull Ad Sanctam Beati Petri Sedem (October 16, 1656) declaring that five propositions of Jansen, mostly concerning grace and the fallen nature of man, were heretical including the proposition "that Christ died, or shed His blood for all men" (see Catholic Encyclopedia, link below). He also sent to France his famous "formulary", that was to be signed by all the clergy as a means of detecting and extirpating Jansenism and which inflamed public opinion. The Society of Jesus (Latin: Societas Iesu), commonly known as the Jesuits, is a Roman Catholic religious order. ... Venice is known for its waterways and gondolas Gondola. ... Crete (Greek Κρήτη / Kriti, Turkish: Girit) is the largest of the Greek islands and the fifth largest in the Mediterranean Sea. ... The Ottoman Turks were the ethnic subdivision of the Turkish people who dominated the ruling class of the Ottoman Empire. ... Events January 27 - The trial of Guy Fawkes and other conspirators begins ending in their execution on January 31 May 17 - Supporters of Vasili Shusky invade the Kremlin and kill Premier Dmitri December 26 - Shakespeares King Lear performed in court Storm buries a village of St Ismails near... Jansenism was a branch of Christian philosophy founded by Cornelius Jansen (1585 – 1638), a Dutch theologian. ... Innocent X, born Giovanni Battista Pamphili (May 6, 1574 – January 7, 1655) was Pope from 1644 to 1655. ... Events February 2 - New Amsterdam (later renamed New York City) is incorporated. ... Cornelius Jansen, Engraving by Jean Morin Cornelius Jansen, often known as Jansenius (October 28, 1585 — May 6, 1638) was bishop of Ypres and the father of the religious revival known as Jansenism. ... October 16 is the 289th day of the year (290th in Leap years). ... // Events Mehmed Köprülü becomes Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire. ... Divine grace is believed by Christians to be the sovereign favor of God exercised in the bestowment of blessings upon those who have no merit in them. ... The fall refers to the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, as recorded in the biblical book of Genesis, and the consequences of that expulsion. ... Heresy, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is a theological or religious opinion or doctrine maintained in opposition, or held to be contrary, to the catholic or orthodox doctrine of the Christian Church, or, by extension, to that of any church, creed, or religious system, considered as orthodox. ... This page is about the title, for the Christian figure, see Jesus Christ is the English representation of the Greek word Χριστός The Christian religion takes its name from Christ, as a title given to Jesus of Nazareth, always capitalized as a singularly descriptive title meaning literally The Anointed One. ...

Alexander VII put the final nail in the coffin of the heliocentrism issue. He published his Index Librorum Prohibitorum Alexandri VII Pontificis Maximi jussu editus whiich he prefaced with the Bull Speculatores Dominus Israel in which he explicitly attached all the previous heliocentric decrees ("...which we will should be considered as though it were inserted in these presents, together with all, and singular, the things contained therein...") and using his Apostolic authority bound the faithful to its contents ("...and approve with Apostolic authority by the tenor of these presents, and: command and enjoin all persons everywhere to yield this Index a constant and complete obedience...") (SOURCE). Heliocentric Solar System In astronomy, heliocentrism is the theory that the Sun is at the center of the Universe and/or the Solar System. ... Papal bull of Pope Urban VIII, 1637, sealed with a leaden bulla. ...

In other decisions Alexander VII forbade in 1661 the translation of the Roman Missal into French, and in 1665 canonized Francis de Sales. His pontificate was also marked by protracted controversies with Portugal. Events January 6 - The fifth monarchy men unsuccessfully attempt to seize control of London. ... The Roman Missal (Missale Romanum) is the liturgical book that contains the texts and rubrics for the celebration of the Latin rite of Mass. ... Events March 4 - Start of the Second Anglo-Dutch War. ... Canonization is the process of declaring someone a saint and involves proving that a candidate has lived in such a way that he or she is worthy of sainthood. ... Saint Francis of Sales (in French, St François de Sales) (1567-1622), seventeenth-century bishop of Geneva and Roman Catholic saint, was born at Thorens into a Savoyard noble family on 21 August 1567. ...

He died in 1667, was memorialized in a spectacular tomb by Bernini, and was succeeded by Pope Clement IX (1667–69). // Events January 20 - Poland cedes Kyiv, Smolensk, and eastern Ukraine to Russia in the Treaty of Andrusovo that put a final end to the Deluge, and Poland lost its status as a Central European power. ... Clement IX, né Giulio Rospigliosi (January 28, 1600 - December 9, 1669) was pope from 1667 to 1669. ...

See also: other Popes named Alexander. There have been eight popes named Alexander. ...

Innocent X, born Giovanni Battista Pamphili (May 6, 1574 – January 7, 1655) was Pope from 1644 to 1655. ... Popes buried in St. ... Clement IX, né Giulio Rospigliosi (January 28, 1600 - December 9, 1669) was pope from 1667 to 1669. ...

References

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Catholic Encyclopedia.
• This article incorporates text from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, a publication in the public domain.

The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ... The Catholic Encyclopedia (also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia today) is an English-language encyclopedia published in 1913 by the The Encyclopedia Press, designed to give authoritative information on the entire cycle of Catholic interests, action and doctrine. // History The writing of the encyclopedia began on January 11... Encyclopædia Britannica, the 11th edition The 11th edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica (1910–1911) is perhaps the most famous edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ...

External links

• Catholic Encyclopedia: "Ad Sanctam Beati Petri Sedem".