Fabrizio Spada

Fabrizio Spada (Rome, 17 March 1643 – Rome, 15 June 1717) was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, and served as Secretary of State under Pope Innocent XII.

Born on March 17, 1643 in Rome, he was the son of Orazio Spada and Veralli Maria. He was also a great-nephew of Cardinal Bernardino Spada and a nephew of Cardinal Giambattista Spada on his father's side, and a nephew of Cardinal Fabrizio Verallo on his mother's side. His sister, Eugenia Spada (1639–1717) married Girolamo Mattei, Duca di Giove of the House of Mattei. Spada completed his studies as a doctor of law ("in utroque iure") at the University of Perugia in 1664; after which he took holy orders on December 22, 1669. He was subsequently appointed referendary to the Apostolic Signatura and Lay Abbot of the monastery of Santa Maria d' Attilia, in the diocese of San Severino.

In 1672 he became titular Latin Archbishop of Patras but had to obtain a dispensation because he was still below canonical age, and papal nuncio to the duchy of Savoy. On August 14, 1672, he was consecrated bishop by Gasparo Carpegna, Cardinal-Priest of Santa Pudenziana with Alessandro Crescenzi (cardinal), titular Latin patriarch of Alexandria, and Bernardino Rocci, titular archbishop of Damasco, serving as co-consecrators. Two years later on January 3, 1674, he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to France. Pope Clement X created him cardinal-priest in the consistory of 27 May 1675, and he was given the titulus of San Callisto. This was exchanged in 1689 for that of San Crisogono and in 1708 for that of Santa Prassede.

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