Processi informativi per la nomina dei vescovi di Trento nell’Archivio Segreto Vaticano (secoli XVII–XVIII) (review)

In his book, Ugo Paoli introduces an important source for the historical reconstruction of the Prince-Bishopric of Trent: the information processes written for the appointment of the prince-bishop. The documents used were obtained from the consistorial archives of the Apostolic Datary and the Apostolic Nunciature in Vienna, preserved in the Vatican Secret Archives. The author was vice-prefect of the Vatican Secret Archives from 1997 to 2002, and this made the collection of data easier. Paoli previously published a similar book, the Relationes ad limina (Trento, 2000), which covered the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries for the Prince-Bishopric of Trent. The Relationes are a complementary source to the processes, since they contain more information on the dioceses, whereas the processes focus on detailed biographies of the bishops.

The importance of this historical source is shown by the triple role carried out by the prince-bishop during the old regime: diocesan ordinary, prince of the Holy Roman Empire of Germany, and confederate member of the Tyrolean province. The prince therefore dealt with three authorities: the pope, the emperor, and the count of Tyrol. The bishopric of Trent was under the Holy Roman Empire, and as prince of the Empire the bishop had the right to vote in the imperial diet and the option of using the imperial courts; Trent also was a confederate member of the Tyrolean province, constantly fighting with the counts of Tyrol due to their repeated attempts to dominate.

This book is divided into two parts. The introduction describes the origin, evolution, and characteristics of the information processes used for the appointment of new bishops. The purpose of the processes was to determine whether the appointed bishop had the necessary requirements to be confirmed by the pope. The process examined qualified witnesses who would provide answers under oath regarding the appointed bishop’s age, life, habits, doctrine, political views, and qualification to teach. The rest of the information pertained to the dioceses—boundaries, location, population, cathedral architecture and furnishings, structure of the cathedral chapter, number of city parishes and religious homes, number of students attending seminary, preservation of the bishop’s palace, and the status of the bishop’s revenue. In addition to this examination, the future bishop provided the following documents: certificate of appointment, baptism and confirmation certificates, ordination to minor and major orders, studies conducted and academic degrees, offices, profession of faith, proof of good manners and habits. The author then focuses on the content of the processes specific to the various bishops elected and on the historical circumstances affecting their election.

The second part of the book is a transcript of all the processes concerning the newly appointed bishops from 1665 to 1776. A total of eleven information processes is included—nine held in Vienna and two in Rome.

This volume is a unique and fundamental source regarding the history of the bishops of Trent. The documents published are important from a prosopographical point of view in reconstructing a collective biography of the bishops, and for the study of political-institutional matters in a state that for several years was a nexus among the Italian states, the Roman Church, and the German world.