INNOCENT X. (Giovanni Battista Pamfili) was born in Rome on May 6, 1574, served successively as auditor of the Rota, nuncio to Naples, legate apostolic to Spain, was made cardinal in 1627, and succeeded Urban VIII. as pope on Sept. 15, 1644. Through out his pontificate Innocent was completely dominated by his sister-in-law, Donna Olimpia Maidalchini, who made herself thor oughly detested for her inordinate ambition and rapacity. Urban VIII. had been French in his sympathies ; but the papacy now shifted to the side of the Habsburgs, and there remained for nearly 5o years. Evidences of the change were numerous : Innocent pro moted pro-Spanish cardinals; attacked the Barberini, proteges of Mazarin, and sequestered their possessions; aided in quieting an insurrection in Naples, fomented by the duke of Guise; and refused to recognize the independence of Portugal, then at war with Spain. As a reward he obtained from Spain and Naples the recognition of ecclesiastical immunity. In 1649 Castro, which Urban VIII. had failed to take, was wrested from the Farnese and annexed to the Papal States. The most worthy efforts of Innocent were directed to the reform of monastic discipline (1652). His condemnation of Jansenism (1653) was met with the denial of papal infallibility in matters of fact, and the con troversy entered upon a new phase. (See JANSENISM.) Innocent died on Jan. 7, 1655, and was succeeded by Alexander VII.
For contemporary lives of Innocent see Oldoin, continuator of Cia conius, Vitae et res gestae summorum Pontiff. Rom.; and Palazzi, Gesta Pontiff. Rom. (Venice, 1687-88) iv. 57o sqq.; Ciampi's Innoc. X. Pam fili, et la sue Corte (1878) gives a very full account of the period. Gualdus' (pseud. of Gregorio Leti) Vita de Donna Olimpia Maidal china (1666) is gossipy and untrustworthy ; Capranica's Donna Olym pia Panmfili (Milan, 1875, 3rd ed.) is fanciful and historically of no value. See also Ranke, Popes (Eng. trans., Austin, 1840, etc.) , iii. 4o sqq.; v. Reumont, Gesch. der Stadt Ram. (1867-7o), hi. 2, p. 623 sqq.; Brosch, Gesch. des Kirchenstaates (188o) i. 409 sqq.; and the extended bibliography in Herzog-Hauck, Realencyklopddie, s.v. "Innocenz X."