French Connection

Pope Innocent X (who held the Keys to the Kingdom from 15 September 1644 to 1 January 1655) and whose name, in the world, was Giambattista Pamfili, died today (7 January) in 1655.

A wily operator in the Age of Absolutism, Innocent flailed vainly against the rise of nations and decline of Catholic hegemony – his papal bull directing ripping-up of the Treaties of Westphalia was simply ignored.

P is not so keen on Innocent as he was rather anti-Bernini (L would be favourably disposed to His Holiness for the same reason).

On the other hand, the Holy See had been spending money like Karl Marx or Ludwig II, so some restraint was required.

 

 

 

 

 

Innocent X was also a notorious Francophobe, and, being (at least according to Velázquez) a dead ringer for Gene Hackman, there’s your French Connection.