Giambattista Spinola

Giambattista Spinola (20 September 1615 – 4 January 1704) was a cardinal of the Catholic Church and an Archbishop of Genoa.

Giambattista was born in Madrid, Spain, the fourth of the twelve children of Luca Spinola and Battina Lomellini. They were immigrants from Genoa in Italy, members of the influential Spinola family of that city, which had long been active in Genoese politics. He was the nephew of Cardinal Giandomenico Spinola. He was also the uncle of Giambattista Spínola Jr.

During his career, he participated in three papal conclaves, the last being in 1700, when he was 85 years old. He was forced to resign as Archbishop of Genoa on 16 March 1681 for reasons of health. He served briefly in the position of Chamberlain of the College of Cardinals, a one-year term that ran from January 1691 to January 1692, to which he was reappointed but resigned in March 1692, for reasons of health. for the titular church of the Basilica of Sant'Agnese fuori le mura in Rome, a title he held until he opted for that of the Church of Santa Maria in Trastevere in 1698.

Spinola died in his palace in Rome on 4 January 1704. His body was laid out in the Church of San Lorenzo in Lucina, with his burial taking place on 7 March 1704 at the Church of San Salvatore alle Coppelle, in front of the main altar.