(63) 1. RUFFO, Fabrizio Dionigi (1744-1827)

Birth. September 16, 1744, San Lucido, archdiocese of Naples. Of the dukes of Bagnara and the princes of Castelcicala. Neapolitan patrician. He was the second son of Litterio Ruffo, duke of Bagnara and 2nd duke of Baranello, and Giustiniana Colonna, princess of Spinoso and marchioness of Guardia Perticara. Grand-nephew of Cardinal Tommaso Ruffo (1706). Nephew of Cardinal Antonio Maria Ruffo (1743). Other cardinals of the family were Luigi Ruffo Scilla (1801); and Fulco Luigi Ruffo-Scilla (1891).

Education. Entrusted to his grand-uncle the cardinal from 1748, he went to Rome and studied at Collegio Clementino; and at La Sapienza University (doctorate in utroque iure, both canon and civil law, September 19, 1767); he completed his juridical practice under lawyers Antonio Bucci and Antonio Maria Gasparri with whom he worked for a brief time.

Early life. Entered the Roman prelature as referendary of the Tribunals of the Apostolic Signature of Justice and of Grace on September 17, 1767. Cleric of the Apostolic Chamber in 1781, replacing his late relative Tiberio Ruffo; became its treasurer general on February 14, 1785; he occupied the post for more than ten years as well as those prefect of Castle Sant'Angelo and commissary of the maritime fortifications of the Papal States (commissario del Mare); enjoying the complete trust of the pope, he assumed the principal responsibility of the policy of financial, fiscal and economic reform advocated by Pius VI; the great opposition encountered by his policies led to his promotion to the cardinalate since it entailed his replacement as treasurer general.

Cardinalate. Created cardinal and reserved in pectore in the consistory of September 26, 1791; published in the consistory of February 21, 1794; received the red hat and the deaconry of S. Angelo in Pescheria, September 12, 1794. Granted dispensation to receive the minor orders, subdiaconate and diaconate outside of the Ember days, January 13, 1795. He left Rome to enter the service of the court of Naples where he accepted from King Ferdinando IV the administration of the royal domain of Caserta, the superintendcy of of manufactures of San Leucio, November 18, 1797; and the abbey in commendam of S. Sofia in Benevento. Followed King Ferdinand IV of Naples to his exile in Palermo after the proclamation of the République Parthénopéenne; on January 25, 1799, he was named by the king vicar general of the kingdom; returned to the continent clandestinely in February 1799 and encouraged the reaction Sanfediste against the revolutionary army of French General Championnet, and organized the rising of Pouilles and Calabria. Cardinal Giuseppe Maria Capece Zurlo, Theat., archbishop of Naples, tried to avoid the popular uprising; Cardinal Ruffo entered victoriously in Naples on June 15, 1799; he was not able to make prevalent a policy of relative moderation. He left Naples in the first days of November 1799 to go to Veince to take part in the conclave. Participated in the conclave of 1799-1800, which lected Pope Pius VII. After the first restoration of the papal government, Pope Pius VII named him member of the congregation for the reestablishment of and the former system of government, July 9, 1800. Opted for the deaconry of S. Maria in Cosmedin, August 11, 1800. In 1801, after resigning as vicar general of the king of Naples, he accepted the government of José Bonaparte and was, briefly, minister of Naples in Rome. In 1806, after the occupation of the kingdom by the French troops, he sought refuge in Amelia, Umbria; he was included in the list of émigrés and his porperties were confiscated by the new regime. He rejoined King Ferdinando IV and his court in Palermo; he was sent to Paris as ambassador before Napoléon; he was one of the eleven cardinals who attended the emperor's wedding to Archduchess Marie-Louise on April 2, 1810; because of that, he was one of the "red cardinals" (not punished by the emperor and allowed the red cardinalitial vestments). Member of the commission of cardinals (together with Aurelio Roverella and Giuseppe Doria), designated by the emperor, that composed the apostolic brief promulgating the decrees of the Council of Paris on September 20, 1811, and persuaded Pope Pius VII, who was in captivity in Savona, to sign it in September 1811. He received the the grand cross of the Legion d'honneur. He reentered Rome in May 1814 and was received with certain tepidness as he was later in Naples, where he estabIised his residence. Pope Pius VII named him superintendent of the Annona and the Grascia before February 8, 1815. Grand prior of the Sovereign Order of Malta for the Papal States on May 10, 1817. Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals, March 29, 1819 until February 21, 1820. Named prefect of the S.C. of Waters, Fountains and Canals before February 10, 1821. Opted for the deaconry of S. Maria in Via Lata, June 27, 1821. Cardinal protodeacon. During the disturbances of 1822 in Naples, he was consulted by the king, and was even in office for a very short time as a "loyalist" minister. Participated in the conclave of 1823.

Death. December 13, 1827, Naples. Buried in the chapel of his family in the basilica of S. Domenico Maggiore, Naples.

Bibliography. Boutry, Philippe Souverain et Pontife : recherches prosopographiques sur la curie romaine à l'âge de la restauration, 1814-1846. Rome : École française de Rome, 2002, pp. 457-460; Helfert, Joseph Alexander von. Fabrizio Ruffo. Revolution und Gegen-Revolution von Neapel, November 1798 bis August 1799. Wien: W. Braumüller, 1882; 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. 37 and 50; Ritzler, Remigium, and Pirminum Sefrin. Hierarchia Catholica Medii et Recentioris Aevi. Volumen VII (1800-1846). Patavii : Typis et Sumptibus Domus Editorialis "Il Messaggero di S. Antonio" apud Basilicam S. Antonii, 1968, pp. 46 and 50; Sacchinelli, Domenico. Memorie storiche sulla vita del Cardinale Fabrizio Ruffo, con osservazioni sulle opere di Coco, di Botta, e di Colletta. Naples : Carlo Cataneo, 1836.

Link. Biography, in English; his portrait; and his engraving by an anonymous artist.

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