Girolamo Dandini (1509–1559)

In the Papal curia the first man to fill the position of cardinal-secretary of state was the newly created Cardinal, Girolamo Dandini (1509 – 4 December 1559). By the time of Pope Innocent X (1644–55) the Secretary of State was always himself a Cardinal, and Pope Innocent XII (1691–1700) abolished the office of Cardinal Nephew in 1692.

Dandini was born in Cesena to a patrician family, the son of Anselmo Dandini and Giovanna Muratini. He graduated from the University of Bologna with a degree utroque iuris in both canon and civil law. He went to Rome and became secretary to Pope Paul III, who appointed him Protonotary apostolic.

He was sent as nuncio to the court of François I to negotiate peace and to agree on the celebration of a general council, June 1543 to May 1544. He was appointed bishop of Caserta, (14 November 1545), then bishop of Imola (17 May 1546), where he was abbot in commendam of San Firmino. He renounced the see in favour of his nephew, Anastasio Uberto Dandini, who died unexpectedly in 1558, whereupon Cesare Dandini took up the see once more and held it until his death the following year. in the meantime he was again nuncio in France, charged with opposing royal support of Protestantism at the court of the new king, Henri II, July 1546 to September 1547. As legate to Emperor Charles V he negotiated the continuation of the Council of Trent and obtained assistance for the war of Parma and Mirandola. He was named to the lucrative post of commissary general of the papal army.

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