Francesco del Giudice was born in
Naples on 7 December 1647, the fifth of the fifteen children of
Nicolò del Giudice, Prince of Cellamare and his wife Ippolita Palagana. During his early career in the church, he was
Referendary of the
Apostolic Signatura; vice-
legate of
Bologna;
governor of
Fano; a cleric in the
Apostolic Camera; governor of
Rome; and Vice-
Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church. In 1711,
Philip V of Spain named Cardinal Giudice
Grand Inquisitor of
Spain (in which capacity he was the head of the
Spanish Inquisition); he was commissioned as Grand Inquisitor on 11 June 1711. He briefly lost royal favor in July 1714 when he issued an edict condemning certain regalist writings into exile at
Bayonne, but he was allowed to return to Spain later that year following the death of
Maria Luisa of Savoy and the subsequent loss of influence of
Marie Anne de La Trémoille, princesse des Ursins. In 1716, his disagreements with Cardinal
Giulio Alberoni ultimately led to his resignation as Grand Inquisitor of Spain. On 12 July 1717 Cardinal Giudice exchanged his
titulus of Santa Sabina for the
Suburbicarian See of Palestrina, while retaining his post as Archbishop of Monreale. On 11 August 1719 he became
Austria's
minister to the
Holy See, a post he held until 1720. He also became Secretary of the
Roman Inquisition in 1719, a post he held until his death. He exchanged his
titular see of Palestrina for the
Suburbicarian See of Frascati on 3 March 1721. He participated in the
conclave of 1721 that elected
Pope Innocent XIII and the
conclave of 1724 that elected
Pope Benedict XIII. He became
Dean of the College of Cardinals on 12 June 1724, exchanging his
titular see for the
Suburbicarian See of Ostia at that time. He resigned as Archbishop of Monreale on 15 February 1725. Cardinal Giudice died in Rome on 10 October 1725. His funeral was held at
San Marcello al Corso on 12 October 1725, with Pope Benedict XIII in attendance. His remains were then transferred for temporary burial at
Santa Maria sopra Minerva before eventually being returned to Naples for permanent burial in
Santa Maria del Carmine. ==References==