Spada, Bernardino

Spada, Bernardino, an Italian cardinal, was born at Brisighella, in Romagna, April 21, 1594, of an obscure family. After studying the humanities with the Jesuits in Rome, he applied himself to ecclesiastical jurisprudence, in which he acquired considerable reputation. He was honored with several dignities by Paul V and Gregory XV, and afterwards by Urban VIII, who sent him on various commissions to France and Parma, and gave him the archbishopric in partibus of Damietta, the cardinalate in 1626, and the legation to Bologna in 1627. He was a patron of the fine arts, and left some Poems and Letters addressed to Mazarin. Spada died in Rome, Nov. 10, 1661.