Ascanio Filomarino

Ascanio Filomarino (1583 – November 3, 1666) was an Italian Roman Catholic cardinal, who was Archbishop of Naples from 1641 to 1666.

Filomarino was born in Naples of the noble family of the dukes Della Torre. Eldest of the five sons of Claudio Filomarino and Porzia di Leonessa. Though the family was well-respected, it was nonetheless not a wealthy family. Filomarino was, though, able to obtain a doctorate of law in Benevento and thereafter travelled to Rome (with friend Ladislao d'Aquino who would also later become a cardinal) in an effort to support himself financially.

There he presented himself to a number of cardinals with a view to being employed by one of them. Eventually he came to the attention of Cardinal Maffeo Barberini who was in need of a new chamberlain. In 1623, Barberini was elected to the papacy and took the name Pope Urban VIII and thereafter Filomarino became master of the chamber to the pope's young cardinal-nephew, Francesco Barberini, while he was legate to France and Spain.

Francesco did not like his older tutor - or did not like having a tutor at all. But Filomarino was protected by the young cardinal's uncle, the pope, who had promised to promote Filomarino to the rank of cardinal. Barberini, though keen to be rid of his supervision, was loath to see Filomarino elevated to the same status as himself and insisted that the tutor was still essential. Eventually Barberini gave in and Filomarino was allowed to leave his service and was promoted.

Filomarino was elevated to cardinal in the consistory of 16 December 1641 and was, on that same day, appointed Archbishop of Naples.

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