Ranuccio Farnese (cardinal)

Italian prelate

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Titian's portrait of the 12-year-old Ranuccio Farnese, dressed as a Prior of the Knights of Malta Ranuccio Farnese as Cardinal

Cardinal Ranuccio Farnese (11 August 1530 – 29 October 1565) was an Italian prelate and a grandson of Pope Paul III (Alessandro Farnese). He held various prestigious and lucrative offices in the Church, including Cardinal-Deacon[1] of Santa Lucia in Selci (1545) and Cardinal-Bishop of Sabina (1565).[2] At the age of 15 he was created a cardinal by his grandfather the pope,[3] which gained him the nickname Il Cardinalino ("Little Cardinal"). At the age of 16 he was appointed Titular Patriarch of Constantinople.[4]

## Origins[edit]

Ranuccio Farnese was born in Valentano, the third son of Pier Luigi Farnese, the legitimated eldest of the three natural sons of Pope Paul III. His eldest brother was Cardinal Alessandro Farnese and his middle brother was Ottavio Farnese, Duke of Parma.

## Career[edit]

At the age of 12 he was made Prior of San Giovanni dei Forlani in Venice, an important property of the Knights of Malta. He was also Administrator of the Archdiocese of Naples, and was granted several bishoprics. Farnese was twice the titular Latin Patriarch of Constantinople, from 1546 to 1550 and 1554?-1565. Farnese was patron to Federico Commandino, an important translator of ancient Greek mathematical works.

## Death and burial[edit]

Coat of arms of Ranuccio Farnese: Farnese with a chief of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, indicating his office as Prior of San Giovanni dei Forlani

He died in 1565, aged 35, and was buried in the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran in Rome (of which he had been appointed Archpriest in 1547[5]) where survives his mural monument[6] inscribed in Latin as follows: Ranutio Farnesio Pauli III Pont(ifici) Max(imi) Nepoti Episcopo Cardinali Sabinensi Majori Poenitentiar Huius Ecclesiae Archipresbytero ("To Ranuccio Farnese, "nephew" (i.e. grandson) of Paul III, Pontifex Maximus, Bishop-Cardinal of Sabina, Major Penitentiary (i.e. of the Apostolic Penitentiary[7]), Archpriest of this Church"). Above is shown his coat of arms: Farnese with a chief of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem (Knights of Malta), borne as a prior of that order. His arms also survive sculpted on a white marble shield above the main entrance of the Palazzo Farnese in Rome, to the left of the famous larger shield of his grandfather Pope Paul III, sculpted by Michelangelo.

## References[edit]

* https://web.archive.org/web/20041214144605/http://www.exseminarians.com/rome/Churches/johnlateran.htm (retrieved January 23, 2005)
* Miranda, Salvador. "FARNESE, O.S.Io.Hieros., Ranuccio (1530-1565)". The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church. Florida International University. OCLC 53276621.
* https://web.archive.org/web/20050208010329/http://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/gg23/gg23-41320.0.html (retrieved January 23, 2005)

## External links[edit]

* Ranuccio Farnese's tomb
* Farnese family tree Archived 2009-07-19 at the Wayback Machine from about 1390 to 1766.

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Princes of Parma

1st generation|

* Ottavio, Duke of Parma
* Prince Alessandro
* Prince Rannucio

2nd generation|

* Alexander, Duke of Parma

3rd generation|

* Ranuccio I, Duke of Parma
* Cardinal-Prince Odoardo

4th generation|

* Odoardo, Duke of Parma

5th generation|

* Ranuccio II, Duke of Parma
* Prince Alessandro

6th generation|

* Odoardo, Hereditary Prince of Parma
* Francesco, Duke of Parma
* Antonio, Duke of Parma

7th generation|

* None

8th generation|

* None

9th generation|

* Ferdinand I, Duke of Parma

10th generation|

* Louis I of Etruria

11th generation|

* Charles II, Duke of Parma

12th generation|

* Charles III, Duke of Parma

13th generation|

* Robert I, Duke of Parma
* Prince Henry, Count of Bardi

14th generation|

* Henry, Duke of Parma
* Joseph, Duke of Parma
* Elias, Duke of Parma
* Prince Sixtus
* Xavier, Duke of Parma
* Felix, Prince Consort of Luxembourg*
* Prince René
* Prince Gaetano

15th generation|

* Robert II, Duke of Parma
* Carlos Hugo, Duke of Parma
* Prince Sixtus Henry, Duke of Aranjuez
* Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg*^
* Prince Charles*^
* Prince Michel

16th generation|

* Prince Carlos, Duke of Parma
* Prince Jaime, Count of Bardi
* Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg*^
* Prince Jean*^
* Prince Guillaume*^
* Prince Robert*^

* *also prince of Luxembourg
* ^also prince of Nassau

Portals:

* Biography
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Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
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National|

* Spain
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Artists|

* RKD Artists

People|

* Italian People
* Deutsche Biographie

Other|

* IdRef

1. ^ [1]
2. ^ As stated on his monument in the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran [2] [3]
3. ^ [4]
4. ^ [5]
5. ^ [6]
6. ^ See image: File:San giovanni in laterano, interno, navata interna dx, tomba del cardinale ranuccio farnese, su disegno del vignola, m. 1565.jpg
7. ^ [7]

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