AZZOLINI, DECIO. - Cardinal, b. at Fermo on 11 April 1623, d. at Rome on 8 June 1689. Having earned his degree in philosophy at a very young age, he went to Spain in the retinue of the nuncio Panciroli. Innocent X, in 1644, appointed him secretary of the cipher; upon the death of Panciroli in 1651, A. took over the direction of the affairs of the Secretariat of State until the arrival of the bishop of Nardò, Fabio Chigi, appointed secretary of State. After having held the office of secretary of the briefs to princes, in 1654 he was created, by Innocent X, cardinal deacon of S. Adriano.
In the Conclave of 1655 he was the head of the so-called "squadrone volante" which intended to favor the election of a cardinal, without submitting to the influence of France or Spain. And also in the subsequent conclaves in which he took part he maintained this firm and resolute attitude.
Clement IX appointed him secretary of State; in 1668 A. opted for the deaconry of S. Eustachio. He then became, successively, titular of S. Croce in Gerusalemme, of S. Maria in Trastevere and of S. Prassede.
Of A. there are remembered the work carried out in favor of the Piceno college which, through his intervention, received from Clement IX the church of S. Salvatore in Lauro, the protection granted to the poet Francesco di Lemene, the friendship with Christina of Sweden who called him the greatest of all cardinals, indeed of all men.
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Mario De Camilli