“A Faithful Vassal of His Majesty”

Abstract This chapter shifts focus from Giovanni to his younger brother, Federico Jr., and shows how he addressed the contradiction between patronage and the commonwealth that had spelled Giovanni’s downfall. The chapter opens with a discussion of Federico’s early education as a future cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, preparing him for the post-dynastic politics that the fall of favoritism in Spain had ushered in. The following section focuses on how Federico benefited from a parallel shift away from nepotism in the papal court to reinvent himself as a loyal public servant. Pierre Bourdieu’s notion of “disinterestedness” is used to make sense of this new conception of public service. The chapter ends with a discussion of Federico’s 10-year stint as a nuncio in the Swiss Confederacy, revealing how he used this appointment to advance a pro-Spanish agenda and so position himself as a reliable client of the crown.