(7) 1. VALENTI GONZAGA, Luigi (1725-1808)

Birth. October 15, 1725, Roveredo, diocese of Matua. Baptized on that same day. Nephew of Cardinal Silvio Valenti Gonzaga (1738). Uncle of Cardinal Cesare Guerrieri Gonzaga (1819).

Education. La Sapienza University, Rome (doctorate in utroque iure, both canon and civil law, August 24, 1751).

Early life. Referendary of the Tribunals of the Apostolic Signature of Justico and of Grace. Cleric of the Apostolic Chamber, September 1759; and later, dean. Consultor of the S.C. of Rites. Relator of the S.C. of Religious Immunity. Received the subdiaconate, June 17, 1764; diaconate, June 24, 1764.

Priesthood. Ordained, June 29, 1764.

Episcopate. Elected titular archbishop of Cesarea, July 9, 1764. Consecrated, July 25, 1764, Rome, by Pope Clement XIII. Nuncio in Switzerland, July 27, 1764. Assistant at the Pontifical Throne, August 10, 1764. Nuncio in Spain, September 2, 1773.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal and reserved in pectore in the consistory of April 15, 1776; published in the consistory of May 20, 1776; received the red hat and the title of S. Agnese fuori le mura, March 30, 1778. Legate in Romandiola for a triennium, June 1, 1778; reappointed for another triennium, January 10, 1781, occupied the post until April 1783. Opted for the title of Ss. Nereo ed Achilleo, November 29, 1790. Opted for the order of bishops and the suburbicarian see of Albano, 1795. Participated in the conclave of 1799-1800, which elected Pope Pius VII. Librarian of the Holy Roman Church, January 12, 1802 until his death. Opted for the suburbicarian see of Porto e Santa Rufina, August 3, 1807. Sub-dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals.

Death. December 29, 1808, Rome. Exposed and buried in the church of S. Apollinare.

(8) 2. ARCHINTO, Giovanni (1736-1799)

Birth. August 10, 1736, Milan. Son of Filippo Archinto and Giulia Borromeo Arese. Great-grand-nephew of Cardinal Giuseppe Archinto (1699). Nephew of Cardinals Alberico Archinto (1756); and Vitaliano Borromeo (1766), on his mother's side.

Education. La Sapienza University, Rome (doctorate in utroque iure, both canon and civil law, July 27, 1759). Received the subdiaconate, December 23, 1759; diaconate, March 2, 1760.

Early life. Privy chamberlain of Pope Clement XIII in 1758. Referendary of the Tribunals of the Apostolic Signature of Justice and of Grace, September 20, 1759. Vice-legate in Bologna, 1759-1763.

Priesthood. Ordained, March 3, 1760. Protonotary apostolic de numero participantium. Relator of the Sacred Consulta, 1763.

Episcopate. Titular archbishop of Filippi, December 1, 1766. Consecrated, December 8, 1766, Rome, by Pope Clement XIII. Assistant at the Pontifical Throne, December 8, 1766. Nuncio in Tuscany, December 20 (1), 1766 until June 1769. Secretary of Memorials, June 20, 1769. Prefect of the Apostolic Palace, November 9, 1770.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal and reserved in pectore in the consistory of April 15, 1776; published in the consistory of May 20, 1776; received the red hat and the title of Ss. XII Apostolic, July 15, 1776. Prefect of the S.C. of Rites, 1781. Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals from 1785 until February 13, 1786. Opted for the order of bishops and the suburbicarian see of Sabina, June 1, 1795.

Death. February 9, 1799, Milan. Exposed and buried (no information found).

Bibliography. Karttunen, Liisi. Les nonciatures apostoliques permanentes de 1650 à 1800. Genève : E. Chaulmontet, 1912, p. 231; Ritzler, Remigium, and Pirminum Sefrin. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi. Volumen VI (1730-1799). Patavii : Typis et Sumptibus Domus Editorialis "Il Messaggero di S. Antonio" apud Basilicam S. Antonii, 1968, pp., 31, 41, 42 and 337; Weber, Christoph. Legati e governatori dello Stato Pontificio : 1550-1809. Roma : Ministero per i beni culturali e ambientali, Ufficio centrale per i beni archivistici, 1994. (Pubblicazioni degli archivi di Stato. Sussidi; 7) pp. 160 and 461.

Link. His engraving by Antonio Capellan, Museo di Roma, Rome.

(1) This is according to Ritzler, Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi, VI, 337; Karttunen, Les nonciatures apostoliques permanentes de 1650 à 1800, p. 231, indicates that he was named on December 16, 1766.

©1998-2009 Salvador Miranda.