en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Innocent_XII
3 corrections found
He was the fourth of five children of Francesco Pignatelli, 4th Marquess of Spinazzola, and wife Porzia Carafa, 1st Princess of Minervino.
A major reference work on Pope Innocent XII identifies Antonio Pignatelli as the second-born son of Francesco Pignatelli and Porzia Carafa, not the fourth of five children.
Full reasoning
Treccani's Enciclopedia dei Papi entry on Innocent XII states: "Antonio Pignatelli nacque nel 1615, secondogenito di Francesco... e di Porzia... Carafa" — i.e., Antonio Pignatelli was the second-born child of Francesco Pignatelli and Porzia Carafa. That directly contradicts the article's statement that he was "the fourth of five children."
Because "second-born" and "fourth of five children" cannot both be true, this sentence is factually incorrect on his birth order.
1 source
- Innocenzo XII - Enciclopedia dei Papi (Treccani)
Antonio Pignatelli nacque nel 1615, secondogenito di Francesco, marchese di Spinazzola, dei Pignatelli di Cerchiaro, e di Porzia di Fabrizio Carafa.
c. 1643
A 1643 ordination date is inconsistent with major biographical sources, which say Antonio Pignatelli did not take holy orders until 1652.
Full reasoning
The infobox gives Antonio Pignatelli's ordination as "c. 1643", but Treccani's Enciclopedia dei Papi says he "aspettato il 1652 prima di prendere gli ordini sacri" — he waited until 1652 before taking holy orders. A Vatican Radio biographical note likewise says "Fu ordinato sacerdote nel 1652" (he was ordained priest in 1652).
That makes an ordination date of circa 1643 incompatible with the cited biographical sources. The article's infobox date should therefore not be listed as 1643.
2 sources
- Innocenzo XII - Enciclopedia dei Papi (Treccani)
Fino a quel momento ha però egli stesso manifestato qualche indecisione rispetto alle proprie scelte, perché ha aspettato il 1652 prima di prendere gli ordini sacri...
- BENEDETTO XVI (Vatican Radio PDF)
Al secolo Antonio Pignatelli, nacque a Spinazzola di Bari il 13 marzo 1615. ... Fu ordinato sacerdote nel 1652...
Innocent XII's pontificate also differed greatly from his predecessors' because of his leanings towards France instead of the Habsburg monarchy; the first in the 20 years following France's failure to have its candidate elected in 1644 and 1655.
This is incorrect because Innocent XII's immediate predecessor, Alexander VIII, was already regarded as the French candidate in 1689 and pursued a conciliatory policy toward France.
Full reasoning
The article says Innocent XII was effectively the first pope in that period to lean toward France. But Treccani's entry on Alexander VIII says that in 1689 Ottoboni (Alexander VIII) was the French candidate: "l'elezione al soglio pontificio (1689) del candidato francese Ottoboni (Alessandro VIII)..." Treccani's Alexander VIII biography also says that, once elected, he immediately opened negotiations to resolve the long-running French dispute and that his policy toward Louis XIV ended up damaging relations with the emperor because Vienna felt too sacrificed to the Holy See's French policy.
So Innocent XII was not the first pope of that era to tilt toward France: Alexander VIII, his immediate predecessor, had already been elected with French support and had already shifted papal policy in a more France-friendly direction.
2 sources
- Grande alleanza - Enciclopedia (Treccani)
...l'elezione al soglio pontificio (1689) del candidato francese Ottoboni (Alessandro VIII) toglieva agli alleati l'appoggio della Santa Sede.
- Alessandro VIII - Enciclopedia dei Papi (Treccani)
Assunto il nome di Alessandro VIII, si preoccupò subito d'intavolare trattative per risolvere l'annosa questione francese... finì col guastarsi anche l'imperatore che si sentiva troppo sacrificato alla politica francese della Santa Sede.