Between the king and the pope : French cardinals in Rome (1495-1560)

On account of their dual function as Princes of the Church and agents for the King of France, the French cardinals in Rome constitute a well defined and self-contained community, driven by the need to present a collective front to the pope himself, as well as the College of Cardinals and the local citizenry. Within the Eternal City, permanent communities of resident French gathered at San Luigi, and in the “nations” of Burgundy and Brittany, each of which was linked to a district in the city, marked by a church. By contrast, the French cardinals in Rome between 1490 and 1560, acting both as official ambassadors and informal agents, were more mobile, as their physical presence was not permanent in the city. Nevertheless, particularly at the time of conclaves, the French presence in Rome was widely noted and commented upon, especially with regard to their distinctive behaviour and appearance. This paper will focus on the gradual appropriation of patronage rights over the church of Tri...