# Fabrizio Paolucci

Fabrizio Paolucci (2 April 1651 – 12 June 1726) was an Italian cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church, appointed by Pope Innocent XII.

## Biography

Born at Forlì, he went to Rome at the age of eight, in 1659, to be educated by his grand-uncle, Francesco Paolucci. In 1685 he was elected bishop of Macerata and Tolentino, April 9, 1685, and later was appointed Nuncio in Cologne in 1696.
Pope Innocent XII elevated him to the rank of cardinal in the consistory of 19 December 1698, and he became archbishop of Ferrara. He became Cardinal Secretary of State during the pontificate of Pope Clement XI. On Clement's death, at the succeeding conclave of 1721, Paolucci was the strongest candidate to succeed, but was vetoed by Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor as he considered him too close to the French. Instead Michelangelo Conti was elected as Pope Innocent XIII. After the latter's death in 1724 Paolucci was again one of the leading candidates for the papacy, but again the imperial veto played its part. However, with the election of Pope Benedict XIII, he resumed the role of Secretary of State and held the position until his death.
It was Paolucci who ordered the construction of the neoclassical Palazzo Paolucci de Calboli at Forlì.
He died on 12 June 1726 at the age of 75 years.

## Sources

* Renata Ago, Carriere e clientele nella Roma barocca, Rome-Bari, Laterza, 1990.
* Miranda, Salvador. "PAOLUCCI, Fabrizio (1651-1726)". The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church. Florida International University. OCLC 53276621.
* Cheney, David M. "Fabrizio Cardinal Paolucci". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Retrieved June 16, 2018. $^{[self-published]}$
Catholic Church titles :
| Preceded byFrancesco Cini | Bishop of Macerata e Tolentino 1685–1698 | Succeeded byAlessandro Carlo Gaetano Varano |
| Preceded byGianantonio Davia | Apostolic Nuncio to Germany 1696–1698 | Succeeded byOrazio Filippo Spada |
| Preceded byDomenico Tarugi | Archbishop (Personal Title) of Ferrara 1698–1701 | Succeeded byTaddeo Luigi dal Verme |
| Preceded byFortunato Ilario Carafa della Spina | Cardinal-Priest of Santi Giovanni e Paolo 1699–1719 | Succeeded byNicolò Maria Lercari |
| Preceded byFabrizio Spada | Cardinal Secretary of State (first time) 3 December 1700 – 19 March 1721 | Succeeded byGiorgio Spinola |
| Preceded byLeandro Colloredo | Major Penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary 1709–1721 | Succeeded byBernardo Maria Conti |
| Preceded byFerdinando d'Adda | Cardinal-Bishop of Albano 1719–1724 | Succeeded byGiacomo Boncompagni |
| Preceded by | Vicar General of Rome 1721 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded byGasparo Carpegna | Prefect of the Congregation of Bishops and Regulars 1721–1724 | Succeeded byGiuseppe Firrao |
| Preceded byGiorgio Spinola | Cardinal Secretary of State (second time) 6 June 1724 – 12 June 1726 | Succeeded byNiccolò Maria Lercari |
| Preceded byPietro Francesco Orsini de Gravina | Cardinal-Bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina 1724–1725 | Succeeded byFrancesco Pignatelli (seniore) |
| Preceded by | Secretary of the Congregation for Universal Inquisition 1725–1726 | Succeeded byPietro Ottoboni |
| Preceded byFrancesco del Giudice | Cardinal-Bishop of Ostia e Velletri 1725–1726 | Succeeded byFrancesco Barberini (iuniore) |
* Biography
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* Politics