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Why was Alessandro Farnese called the āpetticoat cardinalā?
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Paul III
Paul III, contemporary medallion; in the coin collection of the Vatican Library.
Alessandro Farnese, who later became Pope Paul III, was referred to as the "petticoat cardinal" due to the circumstances surrounding his rapid rise within the church hierarchy.1
His sister, Giulia Farnese, was a favorite at the papal court and maintained an intimate relationship with Pope Alexander VI. Contemporary gossip attributed Alessandro's swift advancementāspecifically his appointment as a cardinal deacon in 1493 at the age of 25āto this close connection between his sister and the Borgia pope.12