List of cardinal-nephews
Elevating pope Cardinal-nephew Date of elevation Relationship
Innocent VII ( 1404-1406 ) Giovanni Migliorati 12 June 1405 Nephew
Gregory XII ( 1406-1415 ) Antonio Correr 9 May 1408 Nephew , son of Filippo Correr
Gregory XII ( 1406-1415 ) Gabriele Condulmer 9 May 1408 Nephew , son of Beriola Correr
Gregory XII ( 1406-1415 ) Angelo Barbarigo 19 September 1408 Nephew , son of Caterina Correr
Martin V ( 1417-1431 ) Prospero Colonna 24 May 1426 published 8 November 1430 Nephew , son of Lorenzo Onofrio Colonna
Eugene IV ( 1431-1447 ) Francesco Condulmer 19 September 1431 Nephew
Eugene IV ( 1431-1447 ) Pietro Barbo 1 July 1440 Nephew , son of Polissena Condulmer
Nicholas V ( 1447-1455 ) Filippo Calandrini 20 December 1448 Half-brother
Callixtus III ( 1455-1458 ) Luis Juan del Mila y Borja 20 February 1456 published 17 September 1456 Nephew
Callixtus III ( 1455-1458 ) Rodrigo Borja 20 February 1456 published 17 September 1456 Nephew
Pius II ( 1458-1464 ) Francesco Piccolomini 5 March 1460 Nephew
Pius II ( 1458-1464 ) Niccolò Fortiguerra 5 March 1460 Relative on mother 's side
Pius II ( 1458-1464 ) Giacomo Ammannati-Piccolomini 18 December 1461 Adopted
Paul II ( 1464-1471 ) Marco Barbo 18 September 1467 Unknown
Paul II ( 1464-1471 ) Giovanni Battista Zeno 21 November 1468 Unknown
Paul II ( 1464-1471 ) Giovanni Michiel 21 November 1468 Unknown
Sixtus IV ( 1471-1484 ) Pietro Riario 16 December 1471 Unknown
Sixtus IV ( 1471-1484 ) Giuliano della Rovere 16 December 1471 Unknown
Sixtus IV ( 1471-1484 ) Girolamo Basso della Rovere 10 December 1477 Unknown
Sixtus IV ( 1471-1484 ) Raffaele Riario 10 December 1477 Unknown
15th century
Paul II , cardinal-nephew of Eugene IV , who was cardinal-nephew of Gregory XII Pope Pius II names his nephew Francesco Piccolomini ( future Pope Pius III ) cardinal .
A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a pope who was his uncle, or more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. From the Avignon Papacy (1309-1377) until Pope Innocent XII's anti-nepotism bull, Romanum decet pontificem (1692), nearly every pope who appointed cardinals appointed at least one relative to the College of Cardinals, including every Renaissance-era pope. Although nephews were the most common relation to be elevated to the College, other family members include (legitimate, illegitimate, or adopted) sons and grandsons, brothers, grandnephews, cousins and even uncles. At least 15, and possibly as many as 19 cardinal-nephews were later elected pope (Gregory IX, Alexander IV, Adrian V, Gregory XI, Boniface IX, Innocent VII, Eugene IV, Paul II, Alexander VI, Pius III, Julius II, Leo X, Clement VII, Benedict XIII, and Pius VII, perhaps also John XIX, Benedict IX, if they were really promoted cardinals, as well as Innocent III and Benedict XII, if in fact they were related to their elevators). One became antipope (John XXIII), and two or three were canonized (Charles Borromeo, Guarinus of Palestrina, and perhaps Anselm of Lucca, if in fact he was really elected cardinal). Similarly-created cardinals include cardinal-nephews of antipopes and papal relatives made cardinals by other popes.