INNOCENT IX, POPE. - Giovanni Antonio Facchinetti de Nuce, born on 20 July 1519 into a Veronese family that had moved to Bologna. He was in the service of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, abbreviator of apostolic letters, and, appointed Bishop of Nicastro (Reggio Calabria) on 26 January 1560, he took an active part in the Council of Trent.
In 1566 he was sent as nuncio to Venice, remaining there until 1575, and contributed to securing from the Signoria the celebrated league against the Turk that led to the naval victory of Lepanto. Having resigned Nicastro (1575), he was named Patriarch of Jerusalem (12 November 1576) and then created Cardinal of the Four Holy Crowned Martyrs by Gregory XIII on 12 December 1583. He was one of the inquisitors of the Holy Office and one of the most respected prelates of his age. Already considered “papabile” in the conclave that elected Gregory XIV, at the latter’s death, thanks to the favour of the Spanish party, he was elected pope on 29 October 1591 and crowned on 3 November. He died on 30 December of that same year, worn out by labours beyond his frail health. His tenure was favourable to Spanish policy and hostile to the danger posed by Henry IV of France, though he limited the contributions of the Holy See in the war against the Huguenots. Some of his writings composed before his pontificate remained unpublished.