Benedetto Pamphilj

Benedetto Pamphili (often with the final long i orthography, Pamphilj) (25 April 1653 – 22 March 1730) was an Italian cardinal, patron of the arts, composer and librettist.

Pamphili was born in Rome on 25 April 1653 into the powerful Pamphili family. His father was Camillo Pamphili who had also been a cardinal but renounced his post to marry Olimpia Aldobrandini.

Pamphili was Grand Prior of the Order of St John of Jerusalem in Rome from 1678 until Pope Innocent XI made him cardinal-deacon of Santa Maria in Portico in the consistory of 1 September 1681.

He later opted for the tituli of Sant'Agata in Suburra, San Cesareo in Palatio, Santa Maria in Cosmedin and Santa Maria in Via Lata.

Innocent X made him Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura on 23 March 1685. He became Cardinal Legate of Bologna in 1690, cardinal protodeacon in 1693, as well as archpriest of the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and of San Giovanni in Laterano.

In 1704 he was made librarian of the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana and archivist of the Archivio Segreto Vaticano. He died in 1730 and is buried at Sant'Agnese in Agone.

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