Sfondrati, Family

SFONDRATI, FAMILY. - It appears at Cremona in the 13th-14th century. It became famous in the 16th century with FRANCESCO, b. at Cremona on 26 Oct. 1493, d. there on 31 July 1550.

He took his degree in law at Pavia in 1520 and taught at Padua, Pavia, Bologna, Rome and Turin. He held public offices, in particular from Charles V, who made him count of the Riviera di Lecco on 23 Oct. 1537. On the death of his wife Anna Visconti (20 Nov. 1538), he entered the clerical state and was appointed by Paul III referendary of the Signatura and then bishop of Sarno on 12 Oct. 1543, and subsequently archbishop of Amalfi on 27 Oct. 1544. Meanwhile, in Nov. 1543 he was sent as nuncio to Charles V, regarding a peace with France that would open the way to the Council and to the security of Europe. Created cardinal on 19 Dec. 1544, he returned to the Curia and was among the zealous supporters of ecclesiastical reform and a member of the Inquisition. As relations between Paul III and Charles V grew embittered over the transfer of the Council from Trent to Bologna and the military events in Germany, the cardinal left Rome on 22 Apr. 1547 as legate to the Emperor; and with him he also had to deal with English affairs after the death of King Henry VIII; with the complications that arose in Lombardy over the killing of Pier Luigi Farnese, and regarding the Interim of Augsburg (v. AUGUSTA, IV), which was to regulate relations with the Protestants in Germany and appeared injurious to the rights of Catholicism, while it satisfied neither of the two opposing parties. The cardinal, who had tried to prevent its publication, was recalled on 10 June 1548 and left Germany. He had received the government of the diocese of Capaccio on 23 March 1547 and held it until 9 Nov. 1549, when he received the diocese of Cremona.

The sons of Francesco were NICCOLÒ, who was pope under the name Gregory XIV (v.) for a few months, and PAOLO, who married Sigismonda d'Este and continued the family; he was senator of Milan and predeceased his brother in 1587. Four daughters, together with their aunt Giulia, were nuns at the Angeliche in Milan, with a reputation for great virtue. The S. family was always bound to the Barnabites in great friendship. The son of Paolo was PAOLO CAMILLO (he is also found under the name Emilio), b. in 1561, whom his uncle Gregory XIV created cardinal on 19 Dec. 1590 and kept near himself as secretary of State. In his youth he had been assiduous at the circle that gathered around St. Philip Neri, but later he showed himself greedy to enrich himself and his own, even abusing the confidence placed in him by his uncle the pontiff. On 13 Sept. he received the bishopric of Cremona and died on 14 Febr. 1618. With him his brothers had hastened to Rome: ERCOLE, duke of Montemarciano, general of the Church, who fought for the League in France; and FRANCESCO, general of the galleys, marquis of Montafia (1591).

Renata Orazi Ausenda

Greater fame was acquired in the following century by CELESTINO, cardinal and Benedictine theologian, b. at Milan on 11 Jan. 1644, d. at Rome on 4 Sept. 1696. At the age of twelve he entered the Benedictine school of Rorsbach. After various years of teaching, he was elected bishop of Novara (1686) and became prince-abbot of St. Gall on 16 Apr. 1687. He was created cardinal by Innocent XII on 12 Dec. 1695. He defended with lively ardour the prerogatives of the Apostolic See, in various works: Tractatus regaliae (St. Gall 1682); Regale sacerdotium Romano Pontifici asserum et quatuor propositionibus gallicani cleri explicatum (ibid. 1684), under the pseudonym of Eugenius Lombardus; and the continuation Gallia vindicata (ibid. 1688), in which he has recourse to the testimonies of the Gallican Church itself; Legatio Marchionis Lavardini eiusque cum Innocentio XI dissidium (ibid. 1688) in defence of the negative attitude of the Holy See to the French request for the right of asylum for the Roman quarter of the embassies. His principal and, in a certain manner, famous work is the Nodus praedestinationis ex sacris litteris, doctrinaque sanctorum Augustini et Thomae, quantum homini licet, dissolutus (posthumous, Rome 1697), where he propounds a Molinism (v.) of Lessian tint and with movements of thought altogether original as regards the state (held to be exceedingly happy) of children who died without Baptism and a certain kind of impeccability (ex ignorantia Dei invincibili) of unbelievers. The work, violently attacked from several quarters, especially by Bossuet, was defended by Card. Gabrielli and escaped every condemnation.

Antonio Piolanti

CARLO FILIPPO entered among the Barnabites, was a friend of Cosimo III of Tuscany and on 12 July 1677 was appointed bishop of Volterra. He died on 11 May 1680 in repute of sanctity (O. Premoli, St. d. Barnabiti, II, Rome 1913, p. 350).

The family died out in the 18th century with Colonel CARLO, and the property passed to the Serbelloni and the Barbiano-Belgioioso (L. Castano, Mons. Nicolò S. ecc., Turin 1939, p. 8).

Renata Orazi Ausenda