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ALEXANDER VII(April 7, 1655 — May 22, 1667) |
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Æ Obv.: ALEX • VII • PONT • OPT • MAX • (below bust:) AN • VI • Bust of the pope, l., wearing camauro, mozzetta, and stole. |
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Rev.: OMNIS • SAPIENTIA • A • DOMINO (in exergue:) MDCLX The Palazzo della Sapienza, seat of the University of Rome, with the Church of St. Ivo (by Carlo Borromini) Mazio, 262. Spink 1203. |
See F. Artaud de Montor, Histoire des souverains pontifes romains VI (Paris 1851) 55-56.
Courtesy of Mary Gibson, 'The Roamin' Roman'
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Æ (beneath bust:) AN • VI • |
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Alexander VII built the Arsenal and improved the two moles in the harbor of Civitavecchia.
See. G. Moroni, Dizionario di erudizione storico-ecclesiastica I (Venezia 1840) p. 251;
and Vol. XIII (Venezia 1842), s.v. "Civitavecchia", p. 305 .
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Æ Obv.: ALEXAN • VII • PONT • MAX • A • VII • The pope, l., wearing tiara and cope. |
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Rev.: FVNDAMENTA EIVS IN MONTIBVS SANCTIS [Psalm 87. 1] (in exergue:) • MDCLXI • Plan of the Piazza S. Pietro (by Gianlorenzo Bernini); view of n. colonnade and fountain of the piazza. Mazio, 265. Spink 1212. |
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Æ Obv.: ALEXANDER • VII | PONT • MAX • (beneath the bust:) AN • VIII Bust of the pope, l., wearing tiara and cope. |
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Rev.: PRIMA SEDES FIDEI REGVLA | ECCLESIA etc. Shrine of the Chair of St. Peter, apse of the Basilica S. Pietro in Vaticano Designed by Gianlorenzo Bernini (1665). Mazio, 269. Spink 1214-1216. |
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Æ Obv.: ALEXANDER • VII | PONT • MAX • (beneath the bust:) AN • VIII Bust of the pope, l., wearing tiara and cope. |
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Rev.: IMMACVLATÆ | VIRGINI • VOT• (in exergue:) ROMÆ Facade of the Church of S. Maria in Portico (S. Maria in Campitelli, next to the Porticus Octaviae), built by Carlo Rainaldi (1662-1667). Mazio, 267. Spink 1213. |
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Æ Obv.: ALEX • VII • PONT | MAX • A • IX • Bust of the pope, l., wearing tiara and cope. |
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Rev.: REGIA • AB • AVLA | AD • DOMVM • DEI • The Scala Regia, leading from the Portico of St. Peter's to the Sala Regia in the Vatican Palace. The staircase was designed by Gianlorenzo Bernini (1655-1667). Mazio, 270. Spink 1220. |
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Rev.: (on a ribbon:) PROCEDAMUS • ET • ADOREMVS • IN • SPIRITV • ET • VERITATE . The Corpus Christi procession, Pope Alexander at center, vested in a cope, kneeling on a priedieu under a baldachino, adoring a monstrance which he is carrying; the whole is being carried upon the shoulders of Palafranieri. . Mazio, 271. Spink 1223. |
The Corpus Christi Procession, 2006
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Rev.:
Financial and disciplinary reorganization of hospice; the Holy Spirit in the clouds above.
'Spedale di S. Spirito in Sassia, from the east end of the Borgo di S. Spirito.
Mazio, 274. |
Léon Lallemand, Histoire de la charité chrétienne à Rome (Paris 1878) 228-246, especially 229 (Alexander added a new wing, with 64 beds). F. Artaud de Montor, Histoire des Souverains Pontifes romains VI (Paris 1851) 71. Rome, Naples, Marseilles, and of course London, had all suffered severely from the plague in Alexander's reign.
A 19th century reproduction.
Alexander VII had a new mint constructed at the Vatican, near St. Peter's Basilica, in which new mechanical minting machines, driven by water power, were installed. The work was begun in February, 1661, and went into operation on June 24, 1665:
ALEXANDER VII PONT MAX
MONETARIAM OFFICINAM
IN QVA NOVO ARTIFICIO
PRAECIPITIS AQVAE IMPVLSV VERSATIS ROTIS
MAGNO TEMPORIS OPERAQVE COMPENDIO
NVMMI AFFABRE CELERITERQVE SIGNENTVR
PVBLICAE VTILITATI CONSTRVXIS
AN. SAL. M•DC•LXV
See: L. Ozzola, "L' arte alla corte di Alessandro VII," Archivio della Società Romana di stroia patria 31 (1908) 63-64.
The official engraver (incisore) at the mint during the entire reign of Alexnader VII was Gaspare Morone. He worked in Rome ca. 1637-1669. See Ozzola, pp. 64-67; and A. Bertolotti, Giacomo Antonio Moro, Gaspare Mola e Gaspare Morone-Mola incisori della zecca di Roma (Milano 1877).
P. Francesco Maria Sforza Pallavicino, SJ (1607-1667), Della vita di Alessandro VII. Libri cinque (Prato Giachetti 1839)
