The nepotism (of the Latin nepos, nepotis , “grandson”, Gaffiot mentions the plural nepotes which means " descendants, offspring, neveux" , but it is apparently not the direction first) is the tendency of some popes to support their nephews, and more largely their family.

General direction

By extension, this term indicates the tendency of a person occupying a high position to support the members of its family.

Examples

Monk

• Calixte III: Borgia which named cardinal its nephew and wire adoptive, the future Alexandre VI;
• Sixth IV;
• Alexandre VI: Borgia which named his/her son César Borgia cardinal at the 18 years age;
• Clement VII;
• Urbain VIII which raised three of its nephews to the cardinal row of .

The Historiographie distinguishes two periods traditionally:

• great nepotism , before the Council of Thirty: the favors granted to the family consist of alienations of the Patrimoine of saint Pierre;
• small nepotism , after this council, consistent in advantages revocable or for life.

Contemporaries

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