A Companion to the Early Modern Cardinal

A Companion to the Early Modern Cardinal is the first comprehensive overview of its subject in English or any language. Cardinals are best known as the pope?s electors, but in the centuries from 1400 to 1800 they were so much more: pastors, inquisitors, diplomats, bureaucrats, statesmen, saints; entrepreneurs and investors; patrons of the arts, of music, literature, and science. Thirty-five essays explain their social background, positions and roles in Rome and beyond, and what they meant for wider society. This volume shows the impact which those men who took up the purple had in their respective fields and how their tenure of office shaped the entangled histories of Rome and the Catholic Church from a European and global perspective.

?Any scholar who wishes to learn more about the early modern cardinalate and who seeks to contextualise its members within the early modern world should make use of this rich, accessible volume, whose editors should be commended.?

Charles R. Keenan, University of Michigan. In: Journal of Ecclesiastical History, Vol. 72, No. 3 (July 2021), pp. 656?658.



?This impressive tome spans the period from 1420, when the papacy returned to Rome from Avignon and the duties of cardinals began to grow exponentially, to 1800, when the role of the cardinal significantly diminished to what it is now?primarily papal elector. Other recent publications have discussed cardinals in the Middle Ages and in the 19th and 20th centuries, but this is the first comprehensive treatment of the intervening centuries. The 35 international scholarly contributors examine the social background, positions, roles, and influence of cardinals on society, politics, and their respective fields. ? Summing Up: Highly recommended.?

Philip E. Blosser, Sacred Heart Major Seminary. In: CHOICE Connect, Vol. 58, No. 2 (October 2020).



?The individual chapters are written in an accessible manner and are suitable for the target audience of these companions?namely, both students and scholars. In a couple of cases the available source material has been described and explained, which is particularly useful for those aspiring to pursue the study of primary-source material themselves. However, since the source material is situated within a wider thematic framework, these chapters are interesting for more seasoned scholars as well. [?] The present volume is a worthwhile contribution to the existing scholarship on early modern cardinals and an ideal starting point for those who want to familiarize themselves with, or broaden their understanding of, this topic.?

Jaap Geraerts, Leibniz Institute of European History. In: Renaissance Quarterly, Vol. 75, No. 1 (Spring 2022), pp. 310?311.

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