Coscia, Niccolo

Coscia, Niccolo a Neapolitan prelate, was born at Benevento, January 25, 1682. He was at first domestic and intimate confidant of cardinal Orsini, archbishop of Benevento, who, having become pope under the name of Benedict XIII, made him, in June 1724, secretary of memorials, with an abbey of a thousand pounds' revenue; consecrated him titular archbishop of Trajanopolis on July 2; declared him assistant bishop of the throne, August 15, and made him cardinal, under the title of Santa Maria in Dominica

(called the Novicella), September 15, August 2, 1725, Coscia was appointed to various other ecclesiastical privileges. September 5, Benedict XIII declared him successor to the archbishopric of Benevento. On the 13th of the same month Coscia received the title of protector-commander of the order of St. John of Jerusalem, with provision for six thousand pounds of revenue. In December he was made protector of the order of Conventual Minors, and, February 10, 1726, of the brotherhood of writers and copyists, and finally, on June 12, prsefect of the congregation of the state of Avignon. The bestowal of so much honor brought upon him general hatred. He was from time to time robbed of his honors, and suffered great persecution, especially at the hand of Clement XII. After suffering ten years imprisonment, he returned to Naples, where he died in 1755. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.; Biog. Universelle, s.v.