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Born without a dowry, nearly forced into a convent, and later married off to a man she didn't love, Olimpia Maidalchini vowed never to be poor, powerless, or beholden to any man again. Instead, using her wits, Olimpia became the unofficial ruler of the most powerful institution in the world: the Roman Catholic Church.
The Church firmly states that women must be excluded from church leadership positions—but for more than a decade in the seventeenth century, Olimpia ran the Vatican. As sister-in-law and reputed mistress of the indecisive Pope Innocent X, she appointed cardinals, negotiated with foreign ambassadors, and helped herself to a heaping portion of the Papal States' treasury.
In Mistress of the Vatican, New York Times bestselling author Eleanor Herman brings to life not only an extraordinary woman lost in history but an entire civilization in all its greatness . . . and ignominy. This is the unforgettable story of a woman ahead of her time.
In this engrossing "forgotten story" of the Vatican, Herman (Sex with the Queen) relays not only the life of 17th Cenutry Papal puppet-master Olimpia Maidalchini, but the political and social history of her age, including glimpses of art and architecture, family relations, medical care, religious traditions and daily life. Born into a family of average means, Maidalchini rebelled successfully against her father's plans to place her in a convent. This early triumph gave her a will that she'd eventually use to grab the ultimate seat of power in 17th century Italy, the Papacy, through the likely accomplice of her indecisive brother-in-law, a lawyer with holy orders who was dazzled by Maidalchini's intelligence, planning and accounting capabilities. He submitted to the her plans, and she eventually ushered him into power as Pope Innocent X. As her wealth and strength grow, so does the resentment around her, but her fate would be sealed by the bubonic plague. Exhaustively researched, with historical vignettes interwoven seamlessly, Herman's latest provides a window into an age of empire, nepotism and intrigue that rivals any novel for fascinating reading.
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Introduction 1
Pt. 1 The Girl from Viterbo
1 The Convent 9
2 The Wealthy Landowner's Wife 29
3 The Roman Noblewoman 38
4 The Brother-in-Law 52
5 The Papal Nuncio 66
6 Cardinals 78
7 The Black Widow 98
8 Conclave 117
Pt. 2 The Female Pope
9 The Vicar of Christ 137
10 Celebrations 149
11 Women in the Vatican 161
12 Vengeance on the Barberinis 179
13 The Despised Daughter-in-Law 196
14 The Imbecile Cardinals 209
15 Birth, Famine, and Bitter Peace 223
16 The Shoulder of Saint Francesca 237
17 The Holy Jubilee Year 257
18 Crisis of Conscience 274
Pt. 3 Unforgiveness
19 Honor and Dishonor 293
20 Olimpia's Triumphant Return 311
21 The Sudden Disgrace of Cardinal Astalli 331
22 Death of the Dove 348
23 Unforgiveness 365
24 Pope Alexander VII 372
25 The Two Queens of Rome 384
26 The Scourge of God 395
27 After Olimpia 409
Notes 421
Bibliography 433
Index 439
Wow! What a historical prespective of the early vatica corruption and the rise of one woman who spent her life being controlled by men. A strong woman who helped the poor prostitutes and young girls have a future. She ruled in a era of men. I enjoyed this book.
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Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Paris182
Posted May 17, 2011
I was surprised how fascinating I found Eleanor Hermann's "Mistress of the Vatican". It is the story of Olimpia Maldaichini; who in the mid 1600's controlled the Vatican through her brother-in-law Pope Innocent X. Olimpia was a woman who knew how to get her own way, was smart enough to do so and used it to enrich herself both personally and financially. Unfortunately she overreached and found herself on the outs eventually and then surprisingly enough back in. Eleanor Herman's story is sympathetic without being prejudiced in favor of her subject, and she details both the good and the bad with equal enthusiasm. With liberal use of modern phrases the prose is lively and interesting. A highly recommended read about a little known part of history.
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Overview
Born without a dowry, nearly forced into a convent, and later married off to a man she didn't love, Olimpia Maidalchini vowed never to be poor, powerless, or beholden to any man again. Instead, using her wits, Olimpia became the unofficial ruler of the most powerful institution in the world: the Roman Catholic Church.
The Church firmly states that women must be excluded from church leadership positions—but for more than a decade in the seventeenth century, Olimpia ran the Vatican. As sister-in-law and reputed mistress of the indecisive Pope Innocent X, she appointed cardinals, negotiated with foreign ambassadors, and ...