Mistress of the Vatican: The True Story of Olimpia Maidalchini: The Secret Female Pope | 
 enlarge | Author: Eleanor Herman
Publisher: William Morrow
Category: Book
List Price: $25.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 147081
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 464
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.6
ISBN: 0061245550
Dewey Decimal Number: 945.634
EAN: 9780061245558
ASIN: 0061245550
Publication Date: August 1, 2008
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Product Description
"We have just elected a female pope."
—Cardinal Alessandro Bichi, 1644 Today's Roman Catholic Church firmly states that women must be excluded from church leadership positions, but they neglect to mention that for over a decade in the seventeenth century a woman unofficially, but openly, ran the Vatican. Now, Eleanor Herman, author of Sex with the Queen, exposes one of the church's deepest secrets, laying bare facts that have been concealed for 350 years. Beginning in 1644 and for eleven years after, Olimpia Maidalchini, sister-in-law and reputed mistress of the indecisive Pope Innocent X, directed Vatican business, appointed cardinals, negotiated with foreign ambassadors, and helped herself to a heaping portion of the Papal State's treasury. Unlike the ninth century's Pope Joan, whose life is shrouded in mystery, Olimpia's story is documented in thousands of letters, news sheets, and diplomatic dispatches. Knowing of Pope Innocent's absolute dependence on his sister-in-law, Cardinal Alessandro Bichi angrily declared on the day of Innocent's election, "We have just elected a female pope." Mischievous Romans hung banners in churches calling her Pope Olimpia I. Cardinal Sforza Pallavicino bewailed the "monstrous power of a woman in the Vatican." One contemporary wrote that women might as well become priests, since one of them was already pope. Born in modest circumstances, Olimpia was almost forced into a convent at the age of fifteen due to the lack of a dowry. She used deceit to escape, and vowed never to be poor and powerless again. Throughout her life, Olimpia exacted excruciating vengeance on anyone who tried to lock her up or curb her power. But her grisly revenge on the pope who loved her would be reserved for after his death. . . . Seventeenth-century Rome boasted the world's most glorious art and glittering pageants but also suffered from famine, floods, swarms of locusts, and bubonic plague. Olimpia's world was kleptocratic; everyone from the lowliest servant up to the pope's august relatives unblushingly stole as much as they possibly could. Nepotism was rampant, and popes gave away huge sums and principalities to their nephews instead of helping the poor. Dead pontiffs were left naked on the Vatican floor because their servants had pilfered the bed and stripped the corpse. Mistress of the Vatican brings to life not only a woman, and a church, but an entire civilization in all its greatness . . . and all its ignominy.
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 A Church Epoch vividly exposed! October 21, 2008
"Mistress of the Vatican" is about a period in history in the 17th century. In the days of Pope Innocent X, the Catholic Church found itself dominated by a powerful class of Italians in the city of Rome. In particular, a woman called Olimpia maintained a dominant presence, fostering what she thought was right for herself and the Church. The book explains much about a history that we have frequently heard about but did not have a visible understanding of what was going on.
In reading Herman's historical story, we understand that the Vatican in this part of the 17thcentury, both the Papal States and Europe, were influenced by the powerful Roman culture of the day. Corruption went unnoticed and was not seen as evil. These parts of the book were not pleasant to read, such as enrichment from Church funds while the poor went hungry, and the corrupt selection of cardinals. For me, as a devout catholic, the author portrays the Vatican as an important European ruler, and at the same time, God's physical domain on earth. It clearly exposes the historical context of those years, with the church struggling with the culture of the time, and trying to bind its role as a Church. It clearly exposes both saints and sin and it does it in such a balanced way that we see the Church ending reasonably well. For example, the case with heretics and The Treaty of Westphalia, and how the Church developed the current male priesthood; indeed, the Church may have differently in those early days. The author writes of female priests in the early Church, and that could have been a reality for the church, as early Christians were testing the proper ways to adore a so much revealed God. Another great example is the not-so-saintly selection of saints, while at the same time depicting a visibly flying monk, now the patron saint of aviation!
We can deduct that the advantage that the present day Vatican has over the earlier Papal States, is that we don't need to go back; this human epoch has been produced, the good and bad has been tested and purged. The best out of these days has been preserved in today's Vatican, what's left of the Papal States, an organization that was instrumental in dismantling of communism, among other great positive achievements.
Herman exposes this story very vividly in what appears a well balanced story of the progress of both civilization and the Church. We have inherited from Olimpia a wide range of legacies from beautiful architectural monuments, to the need to eliminate nepotism from within the Church.
The marvel about this story is that it deals with the Church -the oldest continuously run organization in the history of mankind - and so far, Olimpia Maidalchini has been the only woman capable of influencing the political and organizational structure of its higher inner sanctum. It never dealt with the sacramental aspect of the Church. I think the author has written a more profound book than she thought. I don't think much has been compromised, but lively revealed.
 3 stars for entertainment value, 0 stars for actual scholarly research October 1, 2008
While entertaining and at times salacious, if you're looking for an in-depth, scholarly biography along the lines of Antonia Fraser, keep looking elsewhere.
All in all, I enjoyed reading about a now-forgotten woman who turned Rome and the Catholic Church on its ear with her ambition and greed. The author points out how this woman essentially ran the Vatican for extended periods of time for her brother-in-law, Pope Innocent X. Having schemed to place him on the papal throne, she continued to scheme and intrigue with cardinals, ambassadors, and royalty. All of this was acceptable at the time (bribery and coercion were the norm), but only if you were a man.
That said, this work is far from intellectual and relies too heavily on phrases such as "we can imagine" and "we can picture". This type of speculation runs rampant through the book, as do lengthy fiction-like tangents where the author asks us to imagine scenes in the Vatican and palaces of Rome.
I enjoyed the read, but took much of it with a grain of salt. If you like your biography heavy on opinion and guesswork, this is one for you. If like me, however, you prefer your biography to be well-researched, factual, and lacking in ridiculous exposition about the subject's motivations and the imaginings of the author, then it would be best to look elsewhere.
A woman of power September 21, 2008
Olimpia Maidalchini was one of those rare people who would have stood out no matter what century she was born into. She had guts, ruthlessness and a sharp brain.
So it only made her more striking -- and more reviled -- that she was born in an age when women were rarely in charge of their own destinies. And in "Mistress of the Vatican: The True Story of Olimpia Maidalchini, The Secret Female Pope," Eleanor Herman paints a vivid, rich often funny portrait of Olimpia's rise to prominent in the rapidly changing world of seventeenth-century Europe.
Olimpia's life was thrown into turmoil when her father tried to force her into a nunnery, so he wouldn't have to pay for a dowry. But she quickly lashed back, bringing disgrace both to her dad and to the priest who also tried to convince her.
Not that the resulting scandal kept her from marrying twice, first to the wealthiest boy in her town and then to a stuffy nobleman. But her brother-in-law Gianbattista is who really captured Olimpia's interest, since he appreciated her intellect and abilities. Her advice and influence were used to make him an envoy, a cardinal -- and finally getting him elected to the papal throne.
But Olimpia soon discovered that getting Gianbattista (now called Pope Innocent X) into the papacy was only the beginnings of their troubles. Younger rivals, a wastrel papal nephew, heretics, famine and a war with France's Cardinal Mazarin all came to trouble the woman who practically ran the Vatican -- especially when Innocent X started developing a mind of his own.
Eleanor Herman has explored the lives of a lot of noblemen, noblewomen, kings and queens throughout "Sex With Kings" and "Sex With the Queen." "Mistress of the Vatican" is a very different book in some ways -- it charts only one woman's life, from her humble beginnings in a small town to a position of power behind the papal throne, and over political dealings and machinations that spanned Europe.
But as with her prior work, Herman's writing manages to be both breezy and detailed. Her tone is that of a friendly teacher livening up a lecture with funny stories of Olimpia's -- such as an irascible duke bursting into the papal bedroom to rave at a presumably sleeping pope about his annoying nephew. But she also fills the pages with the fragrances, sounds and sights of post-Renaissance Rome -- elegant palaces and villas filled with exquisite art, dim mildewed churches, and the horrendously hot and sticky conclave.
And as important as Olimpia's own story are the stories that surround her. Herman gives detailed background information on everybody of import that Olimpia encountered -- political rivals the Barberinis, glitzy artists, her rotund and grasping son-in-law -- and interweaves the story with background on rituals, customs (such as ransacking the house of a new pope), and half-forgotten disasters of the day.
But Olimpia herself is the beating heart of this book. She could be pretty nasty at times -- she was vengeful, grasping, and accused a priest unjustly of sexually abusing her -- but it's impossible not to admire her guts and powerful personality, especially in an age when women were seen as chattel. She pushed her way to the top via brains and a far-seeing mind. It's impossible not to admire her spirit and sheer force of will.
Forget the fictional Pope Joan. "Mistress of the Vatican: The True Story of Olimpia Maidalchini" is not only historically accurate but a ripping good read.
Fascinating read!! September 5, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
This was a fascinating read. I had never heard about Olimpia Maidalchini before, and the amount of historical data available was impressive. The story was amusing and interesting, and the pace moved along quickly. I had a tough time putting it down. Like with the Da Vinci Code, I look forward to returning to Rome to view the sights mentioned in the book, to see where this truly amazing woman reigned. The pictures contained in the book were a real plus too! Enjoy!
A fascinating and absorbing read August 31, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
_Mistress of the Vatican_ is a great read, even if you aren't a history buff or an expert of 17th century Italian culture. Herman wields her pen with almost magical effect, presenting the life and times of Olimpia Maidalchini in vivid color, packaging her extensive research in a delicious candy coating. Olimpia's story, who Herman describes as an Italian Scarlett O'Hara, is timeless tale of a strong and intelligent woman seeking to get ahead in a male-dominated world, thumbing her nose at naysayers and poking her finger in the eye of Vatican traditions all along the way. In a year that the United States has witnessed one, and now two, women take aim at the highest offices of the nation, _Mistress_ offers an interesting counterbalance.
While Olimpia is the focus of the story, Herman painstakingly details the world in which she lived - the traditions, the culture, the clothing and architecture of old Italy. It is also a glimpse into the highs and lows of Italian society during Olimpia's day - ranging from the lush lives of the rich to the deprivations of the poor. Moreover, Herman tells a tale full of greed, lust, theft, humor, and treachery, all taking place within the sphere of the Vatican elite. _Mistress_ is a guilt-free guilty pleasure and Herman proves that good history can be very fun.
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