Scipione Pannocchieschi d’Elci was born on 28 June 1598 in
Siena, sixth son of a noble family. From 1608 to 1618 he followed his father in
Spain where he studied theology in the
University of Alcalá. Returned in
Tuscany he studied law and was appointed by
Archduchess Maria Maddalena of Austria as tutor of her younger sons. He moved to
Rome with his father in 1621 and from 1623 he took up a career in the administration of the
Papal States: in 1624 he became
referendary of the Tribunals of the
Apostolic Signature, from 1627 for one year he was appointed governor of
Spoleto, from 1628 for one year he was governor of
Ancona and later of
Fermo. Scipione Pannocchieschi d’Elci was ordained
priest on 3 May 1629. On 28 July 1631 he was appointed as
bishop of Pienza. The
Episcopal consecration followed on 17 August in the private chapel of the
Barberini in Rome by the hands of
Luigi Caetani,
Cardinal-Priest of
Santa Pudenziana, with
Tegrimus Tegrimi,
Bishop of Assisi, and
Giorgio Bolognetti,
Bishop of Ascoli Satriano, serving as
co-consecrators. On 3 March 1636 he was promoted
Archbishop of Pisa. Besides the pastoral cure of his diocese, he served
Pope Innocent X as diplomat, being
Apostolic Nuncio to the
Republic of Venice from December 1646 to 1652. He later served as Nuncio to the
Holy Roman Empire from 1652 to 1658. Scipione Pannocchieschi d’Elci was created
Cardinal priest on 29 April 1658 with the title of
Santa Sabina, having been already appointed cardinal
in pectore on 9 April 1657. On 8 June 1658 he was appointed vice-
legate of
Urbino till 1661. As Archbishop of Pisa, Scipione Pannocchieschi d’Elci held two
synods in 1639 and 1659, and visited his
diocese two times in 1655 and 1662. He also restored and decorated some churches in the town and completed the works in the
seminary using also his own money. He resigned as archbishop of Pisa in 1663 and moved to Rome, where he died on 12 April 1670 during the
conclave of 1669-70, in which he was considered a possible candidate to the papacy. He was buried in the
Basilica di Santa Sabina. == References ==