List of cardinal-nephews

This is a list of cardinal-nephews, cardinals elevated by popes who were their uncles, or more generally, their relatives. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. From the Avignon Papacy (1309–1377) until Pope Innocent XII's anti-nepotism bull, Romanum decet pontificem (1692), nearly every pope who appointed cardinals appointed at least one relative to the College of Cardinals, including every Renaissance pope.

Although the nephew was the most common relation to be elevated to the College, other creatures include (legitimate, illegitimate, or adopted) sons and grandsons, brothers, grand-nephews, cousins, and even uncles. Nineteen cardinal-nephews were later elected pope (John XIX, Benedict IX, Anastasius IV, Innocent III, Gregory IX, Alexander IV, Adrian V, Benedict XII, Gregory XI, Boniface IX, Eugene IV, Paul II, Alexander VI, Pius III, Julius II, Leo X, Clement VII, Benedict XIII, and Pius VII) and three were canonized (Charles Borromeo, Guarino Foscari and Anselm of Lucca).

Occupants of the curial office of the Cardinal Nephew are denoted with †. Similar creatures include cardinal-nephews of anti-popes and nephews of popes made cardinals by other popes.

11th century

Of Benedict VIII (1012-1024)

• Lotario (or Loctarius), seniore, elevated circa 1015 (cousin)
• Giovanni (brother, future Pope John XIX)
• Teofilatto (future Pope Benedict IX, nephew to both Benedict VIII and John XIX)Of Alexander II (1061-1073)
• St. Anselm of Lucca (brother or nephew)Of Urban II (1088-1099)
• Odon, elevated 1088

12th century

Of Callixtus II (1119-1124)

• Etienne de Bar, elevated 1120Of Honorius II (1124-1130)
• Corrado de Suburra, elevated 1127 (future Pope Anastasius IV)Of Innocent II (1130-1143)
• Gregorio Papareschi, elevated 1134
• Pietro Papareschi, elevated 1142 (brother)Of Lucius II (1144-1145)
• Ubaldo Caccianemici, elevated June 1144 (cousin)
• Guarino Foscari, elevated December 1144 (relative)Of Anastasius IV (1153-1154)
• Gregorio de Suburra, elevated December 1153Of Adrian IV (1154-1159)
• Boso, elevated December 1155Of Lucius III (1181-1185)
• Uberto Allucingoli, elevated 1182 (?)
• Gerardo Allucingoli (or Gheraro), elevated 1182 (relative)Of Clement III (1187-1191)
• Lotario de' Conti, elevated September 1190 (future Pope Innocent III)
• Niccolo, elevated September 1190Of Celestine III (1191-1198)
• Niccolò Boboni, elevated 1191 (?)
• Bobone di San Teodoro (Orsini), elevated February 20, 1193

Of Innocent III (1198-1216)

• Ugolino dei Conti di Segni, elevated December 1198 (cousin, future Pope Gregory IX)
• Giovanni dei Conti di Segni, elevated 1200 (cousin)
• Ottaviano dei Conti di Segni, elevated 1205 (cousin)
• Stefano Normandis (Conti), elevated 1216

13th century

Of Gregory IX (1227-1241)

• Rinaldo Conti, elevated September 18, 1227 (future Pope Alexander IV)
• Niccolo Conti di Segni, elevated December 1228 (distant relative)
• Riccardo Annibaldeschi di Molaria, elevated 1237Of Innocent IV (1243-1254)
• Guglielmo Fieschi, elevated May 28, 1244
• Ottobono Fieschi, elevated December 1251 (future Pope Adrian V)Of Urban IV (1261-1264)
• Anchero Pantaleone, elevated May 22, 1262Of Gregory X (1271-1276)
• Vicedomino de Vicedominis, elevated June 3, 1273 (future pope elect, died before proclamation)
• Giovanni Visconti, possibly elevated in 1275Of Nicholas III (1277-1280)
• Latino Malabranca Orsini, elevated March 12, 1278
• Giordano Orsini, elevated March 12, 1278 (brother)Of Honorius IV (1285-1287)
• Giovanni Boccamazza (or Boccamiti), elevated December 22, 1285 (relative)Of Pope Nicholas IV (1288-1292)
• Pietro Colonna, elevated May 16, 1288 (relative)Of Boniface VIII (1294-1303)
• Benedetto II Caetani, elevated between January 23 and May 13, 1295
• Giacomo Tomasi Caetani (Iacopo Tommasi), elevated December 17, 1295
• Francesco Caetani, elevated December 17, 1295
• Leonardo Patrasso, elevated March 2, 1300 (uncle)

14th century

Of Clement V (1305-1314)

• Berenger Fredoli, elevated December 15, 1305 (nephew, son of Guillaume de Frédol)
• Arnaud Frangier de Chanteloup, elevated December 15, 1305 (close relative, possible nephew)
• Arnaud de Pellegrue, elevated December 15, 1305 (relative, possible nephew)
• Raymond de Got, elevated December 15, 1305 (nephew, son of Arnaud Garcie de Got)
• Guillaume Ruffat des Forges, or Guillaume Arrufat elevated December 15, 1305 (relative, possible nephew)
• Raymond Guillaume des Forges, elevated December 19, 1310 (nephew, son of Marquise de Got)
• Bernard Jarre (or Garve), elevated December 19, 1310 (relative)
• Arnaud d'Aux, elevated December 23, 1312 (relative)
• Berenguer Fredol, elevated December 23, 1312 (grand-nephew) Of John XXII (1316-1334)
• Jacques de Via, elevated December 17 (or 18), 1316 (nephew, son of Marie Duese)
• Gauscelin Jean d'Euse, elevated December 17 (or 18), 1316 (nephew, son of Marguerite Duese)
• Bertrand du Pouget, elevated December 17 (or 18), 1316 (relative, possible nephew)
• Arnaud de Via, elevated June 20, 1317 (nephew, son of Marie Duese)
• Raymond Le Roux, elevated December 19 (or 20), 1320 (close relative, possible nephew)
• Jacques Fournier, elevated December 18, 1327 (unknown relative, future Pope Benedict XII)
• Imbert Dupuis, elevated December 18, 1327 (relative, possible nephew)Of Benedict XII (1334-1342)
• Guillaume Court, elevated December 18, 1338 (relative, mother's side)

Of Clement VI (1342-1352)

• Aymeric de Chalus, elevated September 20, 1342 (cousin)
• Hugues Roger, elevated September 20, 1342 (brother)
• Adhémar Robert, elevated September 20, 1342 (cousin or nephew)
• Gérard Lagarde (or Domar), elevated September 20, 1342 (cousin)
• Bernard de la Tour, elevated September 20, 1342 (nephew)
• Guillaume de la Jugée (Guillaume II Roger), elevated September 20, 1342 (nephew, son of Guillaumette Rogier)
• Nicolas de Besse, elevated May 19, 1344 (nephew, son of Dauphine Roger)
• Pierre-Roger de Beaufort, elevated May 28 (or 29), 1348 (nephew, future Pope Gregory XI)
• Raymond de Canillac, elevated December 17, 1350 (nephew)
• Guillaume d'Aigrefeuille, seniore, elevated December 17, 1350 (cousin)
• Pierre du Cros, elevated December 17, 1350 (nephew or cousin)Of Innocent VI (1352-1362)
• Andouin Aubert, elevated February 15, 1353 (nephew, son of Guy Aubert)
• Pierre de Salvete Monteruc, elevated December 23, 1356 (nephew of mother's side)
• Etienne Aubert, iuniore, elevated September 17, 1361 (grand-nephew)Of Urban V (1362-1370)
• Ange de Grimoard, elevated September 18, 1366 (brother)
• Pierre d'Estaing, elevated June 7, 1370 (relative) Of Gregory XI (1370-1378)
• Jean du Cros, elevated May 30, 1371 (nephew or cousin)
• Jean de La Tour, elevated May 30, 1371 (brother-in-law of niece)
• Pierre de la Jugée (or Jugie), elevated December 20, 1375 (cousin)
• Gui de Maillesec, elevated December 20, 1375 (nephew on mother's side)
• Gérard du Puy, elevated December 20, 1375 (cousin or nephew)Of Urban VI (1378-1389)
• Francesco Moricotti Prignani, elevated September 18, 1378 (nephew)
• Francesco Renzio, elevated December 21, 1381 (relative)
• Pietro Tomacelli (future Pope Boniface IX), elevated December 21, 1381 (relative)
• Marino Bulcani, elevated December 17, 1384 (relative, nephew of cardinal Francesco Renzio)Of Boniface IX (1378-1389)
• Francesco Carbone Tomacelli (probably adopted while already a cardinal, having been elevated by Urban VI on December 17, 1384, because he began to use a last name Carbone Tomacelli after Boniface's IX election. It seems that his mother married Pope's brother after the death of cardinal's father.)

15th century

Of Innocent VII (1404-1406)

• Giovanni Migliorati, elevated June 12, 1405 (nephew)Of Gregory XII (1406-1415)
• Antonio Correr, elevated May 9, 1408 (nephew, son of Filippo Correr)
• Gabriele Condulmer, elevated May 9, 1408 (nephew, son of Beriola Correr; future Pope Eugene IV)
• Angelo Barbarigo, elevated September 19, 1408 (nephew, son of Caterina Correr)Of Martin V (1417-1431)
• Prospero Colonna, elevated May 24, 1426 and published November 8, 1430 (nephew, son of Lorenzo Onofrio Colonna)Of Eugene IV (1431-1447)
• Francesco Condulmer, elevated September 19, 1431 (nephew)
• Pietro Barbo, elevated July 1, 1440 (nephew, son of Polissena Condulmer; future Pope Paul II)Of Nicholas V (1447-1455)
• Filippo Calandrini, elevated December 20, 1448 (half-brother)Of Callixtus III (1455-1458)
• Luis Juan del Mila y Borja, elevated February 20, 1456 (published September 17, 1456)
• Rodrigo Borja, elevated February 20, 1456 (published September 17, 1456, future Pope Alexander VI)Of Pius II (1458-1464)
• Francesco Piccolomini, elevated March 5, 1460 (future Pope Pius III)
• Niccolò Fortiguerra, elevated March 5, 1460 (relative on mother's side)
• Giacomo Ammannati-Piccolomini, elevated December 18, 1461 (adopted)Of Paul II (1464-1471)
• Marco Barbo, elevated September 18, 1467
• Giovanni Battista Zeno, elevated November 21, 1468
• Giovanni Michiel, elevated November 21, 1468

Of Sixtus IV (1471-1484)

• Pietro Riario, elevated December 16, 1471
• Giuliano della Rovere, elevated December 16, 1471, (future Pope Julius II)
• Girolamo Basso della Rovere, elevated December 10, 1477
• Raffaele Riario, elevated December 10, 1477
• Cristoforo della Rovere, elevated December 10, 1477
• Domenico della Rovere, elevated February 10, 1478Of Innocent VIII (1484-1492)
• Lorenzo Cybo de Mari, elevated March 9, 1489
• Giovanni de' Medici, elevated March 9, 1489 (relative, future Pope Leo X)

Two further nephews are listed some sources as being elevated March 9, 1489, reserved in pectore, and never published

• Pantaleone Cybo
• Niccolo CyboOf Pope Alexander VI (1492-1503)
• Juan de Borja Lanzol de Romaní, el mayor, elevated August 31, 1492 (son of cousin)
• Cesare Borgia, elevated September 20, 1493, resigned August 18, 1498 (son)
• Giuliano Cesarini, iuniore, elevated September 20, 1493 (brother-in-law of daughter, Gerolama Borgia)
• Juan de Borja Lanzol de Romaní, el menor, elevated February 19, 1496 (grand-nephew)
• Amanieu d'Albret, elevated March 20, 1500 (brother-in-law of Cesare Borgia)
• Pedro Luis de Borja Lanzol de Romaní, elevated March 20, 1500 (grand-nephew)
• Francisco de Borja, elevated September 28, 1500 (disputed relationship)
• Juan de Vera, elevated September 28, 1500 (relative)
• Juan Castellar y de Borja, elevated May 31, 1503 (cousin of Juan de Borja Lanzol de Romaní, el mayor)
• Francisco Lloris y de Borja, elevated May 31, 1503 (grand-nephew)

16th century

Of Julius II (1503-1513)

• Clemente Grosso della Rovere, November 29, 1503
• Galeotto Franciotti della Rovere, November 29, 1503
• Marco Vigerio della Rovere, December 1, 1505 (distant relative)
• Leonardo Grosso della Rovere, December 1, 1505 (cousin)
• Sisto Gara della Rovere, September 11, 1507Of Pope Leo X (1513-1521)
• Giulio de' Medici, elevated September 23, 1513 (cousin, future Pope Clement VII)
• Innocenzo Cybo, elevated September 23, 1513
• Luigi de' Rossi, elevated July 1, 1517 (cousin)
• Francesco Armellini Pantalassi de' Medici, elevated July 1, 1517 (adopted as son)
• Franciotto Orsini, elevated July 1, 1517 (son of Orso Orsini di Monteredondo)
• Giovanni Salviati, elevated July 1, 1517 (son of Lucrezia di Lorenzo de' Medici)
• Niccolò Ridolfi, elevated July 1, 1517 (son of Contessina de' Medici)

Of Clement VII (1523-1534)

• Niccolò Gaddi, elevated May 3, 1527 (related to Clement VII through Catherine de' Medici)
• Ippolito de' Medici, elevated January 10, 1529 (illegitimate son of Giuliano di Lorenzo de' Medici)Of Paul III (1534-1549)
• Alessandro Farnese, elevated December 18, 1534 (grandson)
• Guido Ascanio Sforza di Santa Fiora, elevated December 18, 1534 (grandson)
• Niccolò Caetani, elevated December 22, 1536 (son of cousin, published March 13, 1538)
• Tiberio Crispo, elevated December 19, 1544 (brother, on his mother's side, of pope's daughter Constanza Farnese; possibly natural son of Paul III)
• Ranuccio Farnese, elevated December 16, 1545 (grandson)
• Giulio Feltre della Rovere, elevated July 27, 1547 (relative)Of Julius III (1550-1555)
• Innocenzo Ciocchi Del Monte, elevated May 30, 1550 (adopted)
• Cristoforo Guidalotti Ciocchi del Monte, elevated November 20, 1551 (cousin)
• Fulvio della Corgna, elevated November 20, 1551 (nephew on his mother's side)
• Roberto de Nobili, elevated December 22, 1553 (grand-nephew)
• Girolamo Simoncelli, elevated December 22, 1553 (grand-nephew)Of Paul IV (1555-1559)
• Carlo Carafa, elevated June 7, 1555
• Diomede Carafa, elevated December 20, 1555 (relative)
• Alfonso Carafa, elevated March 15, 1557 (grand-nephew)

Of Pius IV (1559-1565)

• Giovanni Antonio Serbelloni, elevated January 31, 1560 (cousin of Charles Borromeo)
• St. Charles Borromeo, elevated January 31, 1560 (nephew)
• Mark Sittich von Hohenems (or Marco Sittico d'Altemps), elevated February 26, 1561 (nephew)
• Alfonso Gesualdo, elevated February 26, 1561 (brother-in-law of Charles Borromeo)
• Gianfrancesco Gàmbara, elevated February 26, 1561 (stepbrother of Charles Borromeo)
• Francesco Alciati, elevated March 12, 1565 (relative)
• Guido Luca Ferrero, elevated March 12, 1565 (cousin of Charles Borromeo)
• Gianfrancesco Commendone, elevated March 12, 1565 (relative)Of Pius V (1566-1572)
• Michele Bonelli†, elevated March 6, 1566 (grand-nephew)
• Girolamo Rusticucci, elevated May 17, 1570 (relative) Of Gregory XIII (1572-1585)
• Filippo Boncompagni†, elevated June 2, 1572
• Filippo Guastavillani, elevated July 5, 1574
• Francesco Sforza di Santa Fiora, elevated December 12, 1583 (relative through his sister Costanza, wife of pope's son)Of Sixtus V (1585-1590)
• Alessandro Peretti di Montalto†, elevated March 13, 1585Of Gregory XIV (1590-1591)
• Paolo Emilio Sfondrato†, elevated December 19, 1590
• Flaminio Piatti, elevated March 6, 1591 (relative)Of Innocent IX (1591)
• Giovanni Antonio Facchinetti de Nuce†, elevated December 18, 1591 (grand-nephew)Of Clement VIII (1592-1605)
• Pietro Aldobrandini†, elevated September 17, 1593
• Cinzio Passeri Aldobrandini†, elevated September 17, 1593
• Silvestro Aldobrandini, elevated September 17, 1603 (grand-nephew)
• Giovanni Battista Deti, elevated March 3, 1599 (relative)
• Bonifazio Bevilacqua Aldobrandini, elevated March 3, 1599 (adopted while already a cardinal on April 3, 1601)

17th century

Of Paul V (1605-1621)

• Scipione Borghese Caffarelli†, elevated July 18, 1605 (adopted)
• Giambattista Leni, elevated November 24, 1608 (distant relative)
• Tiberio Muti, elevated December 2, 1615

Of Gregory XV (1621-1623)

• Ludovico Ludovisi†, elevated February 15, 1621
• Francesco Boncompagni, elevated April 19, 1621
• Marcantonio Gozzadini, elevated July 21, 1621 (cousin)Of Urban VIII (1623-1644)
• Francesco Barberini†, elevated October 2, 1623
• Lorenzo Magalotti, elevated October 7, 1624 (brother in law)
• Antonio Barberini, seniore, elevated October 7, 1624 (brother)
• Antonio Barberini, iuniore, elevated August 30, 1627
• Francesco Maria Macchiavelli, elevated December 16, 1641 (relative)Of Innocent X (1644-1655)
• Camillo Francesco Maria Pamphilj†, elevated November 14, 1644, resigned January 21, 1647 (son of Innocent X's sister-in-law Olimpia Maidalchini)
• Francesco Maidalchini†, elevated October 7, 1647 (nephew of Olimpia Maidalchini)
• Camillo Astalli† elevated September 19, 1650 (cousin of Olimpia Maidalchini; deprived of the title of nipote in 1653)
• Carlo Gualterio, elevated March 2, 1654 (relative)Of Alexander VII (1655-1667)
• Flavio Chigi, seniore†, elevated April 9, 1657
• Antonio Bichi, elevated April 9, 1657 Of Clement IX (1667-1669)
• Giacomo Rospigliosi†, elevated December 12, 1667Of Clement X (1670-1676)
• Paluzzo Paluzzi Altieri degli Albertoni† (adopted while already a cardinal, having been elevated by Alexander VII on January 24, 1664)
• Vincenzo Maria Orsini, elevated February 22, 1672 (relative, future Pope Benedict XIII)Of Innocent XI (1676-1689)
• Carlo Stefano Anastasio Ciceri, elevated September 2, 1686 (distant relative)

Of Alexander VIII (1689-1691)

• Pietro Ottoboni† (grandnephew), elevated November 7, 1689
• Giambattista Rubini, elevated February 13, 1690

18th century

Of Clement XI (1700-1721)

• Annibale Albani, elevated December 23, 1711
• Fabio Olivieri, elevated May 6, 1715Of Innocent XIII (1721-1724)
• Bernardo Maria Conti, elevated June 16, 1721 (brother)Of Clement XII (1730-1740)
• Neri Maria Corsini, elevated August 14, 1730
• Giovanni Antonio Guadagni, elevated September 24, 1731 Of Clement XIII (1758-1769)
• Carlo Rezzonico, elevated September 11, 1758Of Pius VI (1775-1799)
• Giovanni Carlo Bandi, elevated May 29, 1775 (uncle)
• Barnaba Chiaramonti, elevated February 14, 1785 (relative on his mother's side, future Pope Pius VII
• Romualdo Braschi-Onesti, elevated December 18, 1786

19th century

Of Leo XIII (1878-1903)

• Giuseppe Pecci, elevated May 12, 1879 (brother)

Similar creatures

Pseudo-cardinal-nephews

Quasi-cardinal	Nephew of	Elevated	Notes
Giacomo Alberti	Antipope Nicholas V	May 15, 1328	Excommunicated by Pope John XXII.
Amedeo Saluzzo	Antipope Clement VII	December 23, 1383	Abandoned Avignon Pope Benedict XIII after having been deposed by him on October 21, 1408; participated in the Council of Pisa, the election of Pope Alexander V (now regarded as an antipope), the Council of Constance, and the conclave of Pope Martin V.
Tommaso Brancaccio	Antipope John XXIII	June 6, 1411	Attended the Council of Constance, and the conclave of Pope Martin V.
Gil Sánchez Muñoz	Antipope Clement VIII	July 26, 1429	Submitted to Pope Martin V after his uncle abdicated.

Nephews of other popes

>

Cardinal	"Nephew" of	Elevator	Elevated	Notes
Giovanni Aniceo (relative)	Gregory I	Pelagius II	circa 580
Pope Paul I (brother)	Stephen II	Pope Zachary	Before 750	Future Pope Paul I
Romano Marin	Pope Marinus I	Pope Nicholas I	cira 867
Cristoforo (relative)	Leo V	Sergius III	circa 904-911
Leone (brother)	Pope Leo VI	Pope John XI	circa 931-936	Future Pope Leo VII
Giovanni	Pope Benedict IX	Pope Gregory VI	1045
Cinzio Papareschi	Pope Innocent II	Pope Adrian IV	February 1158
Ottaviano di Paoli (or Conti) (relative)	Innocent III	Lucius III	1182
Pietro de Morra (relative)	Gregory VIII	Innocent III	1205
Tommaso del Vescovo	Pope Honorius IV	Pope Innocent III	1216
Goffredo da Castiglione	Pope Urban III	Pope Gregory IX	September 18, 1227
Goffredo Castiglioni (relative)	Celestine IV	Innocent IV	May 28, 1244	Celestine IV did not create cardinals
Matteo Orsini Rosso	Pope Nicholas III	Pope Urban IV	May 22, 1262	Not to be confused with Senator Matteo Rosso Orsini
Napoleone Orsini Frangipani	Pope Nicholas III	Pope Nicholas IV	May 16, 1288
Francesco Napoleone Orsini	Pope Nicholas III	Pope Boniface VIII	December 12, 1295
Luc Fieschi	Pope Adrian V	Pope Boniface VIII	March 2, 1300
Gaillard de la Mothe	Pope Clement V	Pope John XXII	December 17 (or 18), 1316
Jean de Carmin	Pope John XXII	Pope Clement VI	December 17, 1350
Gilles Aycelin de Montaigu	Pope Clement VI	Pope Innocent VI	September 17, 1361
Guillaume d'Aigrefeuille	Pope Clement VI	Pope Urban V	May 12, 1367
Baldassare Cossa (distant relative)	Boniface IV	Boniface IX	February 27, 1402	Future Antipope John XXIII
Giovanni Domenico de Cupis	Pope Julius II	Pope Leo X	July 1, 1517	the son of the mother of Julius II's illegitimate daughter, Felice della Rovere
Agostino Spinola (grand-nephew)	Pope Sixtus IV	Pope Clement VII	May 3, 1527
Alessandro Sforza	Pope Paul III	Pope Pius IV	March 12, 1565
Giovanni Aldobrandini (brother)	Pope Clement VIII	Pope Pius V	May 17, 1570
Roberto Ubaldini	Pope Leo XI	Pope Paul V	December 2, 1615
Ippolito Aldobrandini (grand-nephew)	Pope Clement VIII	Pope Gregory XV	April 19, 1621
Carlo Barberini	Pope Urban VIII	Pope Innocent X	June 23, 1653
Felice Rospigliosi	Pope Clement IX	Pope Clement X	January 16, 1673
Benedetto Pamphilij (grand-nephew)	Pope Innocent X	Pope Innocent XI	September 1, 1681
Francesco Pignatelli	Pope Innocent XII	Pope Clement XI	December 17, 1703
Alessandro Albani (cousin)	Pope Clement XI	Pope Innocent XIII	July 16, 1721
Domenico Orsini d'Aragona	Pope Benedict XIII	Pope Benedict XIV	September 9, 1743
Andrea Corsini (grand-nephew)	Pope Clement XII	Pope Clement XIII	September 24, 1759
Gabriel della Genga Sermattei	Pope Leo XII	Pope Gregory XVI	February 1, 1836

Notes

References

• Thomson, John A.F. 1980. Popes and Princes, 1417-1517: Politics and Polity in the Late Medieval Church. Boston: George Allen & Unwin. ISBN: 0-04-901027-1.
• Williams, George L. 2004. Papal Genealogy: The Families and Descendants of the Popes. McFarland. ISBN:0786420715.