Nepotism is the act of granting an advantage, privilege, or position to relatives in an occupation or field. These fields may include but are not limited to: business, politics, academia, entertainment, sports, religion, and health care. The term originated with the assignment of nephews to important positions by Catholic popes and bishops.
Benjamin Harrison, treasurer of Guy's Hospital in London, was shown as a dominant presiding figure, with the nepotism of Sir Astley Cooper having his tacit approval.
The Trump family
A cardinal-nephew was a cardinal elevated by a pope who was that cardinal's relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The last cardinal-nephew was named in 1689 and the practice was abolished in 1692. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to this practice, when it appeared in the English language about 1669. From the middle of the Avignon Papacy (1309–1377) until Pope Innocent XII's anti-nepotism bull, Romanum decet pontificem (1692), a pope without a cardinal-nephew was the exception to the rule. Every Renaissance pope who created cardinals appointed a relative to the College of Cardinals, and the nephew was the most common choice, although one of Alexander VI's creations was his own son.
Pietro Ottoboni, the last holder of the post of cardinal-nephew, painted by Francesco Trevisani
The Avignon Papacy (1309–1377) produced an unprecedented number of cardinal-nephews.
Pope Paul III with his cardinal-nephew Alessandro Farnese (left) and his other grandson, Ottavio Farnese, Duke of Parma (right)
Ranuccio Farnese was made cardinal by Paul III at the age of 15.