Giulio Alberoni
Alberoni's signature:
Giulio Alberoni (born May 21, 1664 in Fiorenzuola d'Arda near Piacenza , † June 16, 1752 ) was Italian cardinal and Spanish minister of state under Philip V of Spain.
Life
Born as the son of a wine grower, he was taught in a monastery school in Piacenza, then received the post of church servant at the local cathedral church and was later ordained a priest . Bishop Roncoveri entrusted him with the education of his nephew and recommended him to the Duke of Parma , who used him as a French interpreter in his negotiations with the Duke of Vendôme , the commander of the French army in Italy during the War of the Spanish Succession . Vendôme valued him as a funny companion and as a culinary artist and took him to Paris in 1706 and to Spain in 1711 .
After the death of his patron, Francesco Farnese , the Duke of Parma , appointed him his chargé d'affaires in Madrid. Here in 1714 he succeeded in bringing about the marriage of Philip V with Elisabetta Farnese , the niece and stepdaughter of the Duke of Parma. The consequence of this marriage was the overthrow of the hitherto all-powerful at the Spanish court Princess Orsini and Alberoni elevation to guide the Queen and the Minister Cardinal Francesco Del Giudice , in its place, he joined in 1717 after Pope Clement XI. had been appointed cardinal priest with the titular church of San Crisogono .
From now on Alberoni ruled unreservedly in agreement with the queen. In his administration he initially had in mind the inner elevation and strengthening of the nation. He put an end to the torn disorder in the financial system, brought unity and strength to the government, restricted the tax exemption of the clergy, destroyed provincial freedoms in favor of an enlightened autocracy , revitalized industry through the settlement of foreign workers and increased trade; he improved the war system, created a new fleet, set up rifle factories, restored the fortresses to good standing, and brought discipline and order back into the army. The means for this he created himself through savings by reducing the excessive number of civil servants, not through new taxes.
But he destroyed these successes again through his foreign policy. In 1715 and 1719 he supported Jacobite revolts in Scotland. Seduced by the wishes of the queen, who wanted to secure foreign thrones for her children who had been excluded from the Spanish line of succession, as well as by his own ambition, he made the plan to conquer Milan , Naples , Sicily and Sardinia for Spain. He equipped a mighty fleet and a strong army and suddenly (1717) had Sardinia occupied. The quadruple alliance between Great Britain, France, Austria and Holland was concluded against these attacks by Spain . Spain's naval power was then almost completely destroyed on August 10, 1718 at Capo Passero by the British fleet under George Byng .
Also France, where Alberoni's bold plan, through the conspiracy of Cellamare after the capture of the regent, the Duke of Orléans , King Philip V as guardian of the young Louis XV. to proclaim failed, soon afterwards (1719) declared war and sent an army over the Pyrenees , while the Austrians advanced in Sicily and the British landed in Galicia to defeat the House of Stuart by Philip V under the Duke in 1718 of Ormonde tried to avenge incursion into Scotland.
At the urging of the allies, who only wanted to make peace on this condition, Alberoni was relieved of all offices by a royal decree of December 5, 1719 and ordered to leave Madrid within eight days and Spain within three weeks. He went to Italy, where he was from Pope Clement XI. was threatened with a process and therefore hid from March 1720 to April 1721 in a monastery near Bologna.
After the death of Clemens XI. (1721) he took his seat in the conclave and participated in the election of the new Pope Innocent XIII. that weighed him. 1734 appointed Clemens XII. him legate in Ravenna , by Benedict XIV he was appointed legate in Bologna . After three years in office, Alberoni retired to Piacenza and devoted his last activity to the Collegium Alberoni (1751) seminar for the training of young Parmesans , which he had founded earlier . After his death, most of his colossal fortune fell to the Spanish Crown.
literature
- Stefano Bersani: Storia del cardinale Giulio Alberoni . Solari, Piacenza 1861.
- Pietro Castagnoli: Il cardinale Giulio Alberoni . Collegio Alberoni, Piacenza 1928 ff.
- Il ministro dei Farnese . 1929.
- Il processo . 1931.
- Il legato pontificio . 1931.
- Giovanni Three: Giulio Alberoni . Cappelli, Bologna 1932.
- Marino Cecchetti: "Alberoni a San Marino, 17-29 ottobre 1739" San Marino 2003
Web links
- Alberoni, Giulio. In: Salvador Miranda : The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church. ( Florida International University website), accessed March 23, 2017.
- Entry on Giulio Alberoni on catholic-hierarchy.org ; accessed on March 23, 2017.
- Tripota - Trier portrait database
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| Gianantonio Davia |
Cardinal Protopriest 1740-1752 |
Thomas Philip Wallrad d'Hénin-Liétard d'Alsace-Boussu de Chimay |
| Manuel de Santo Tomás Mendoza OP |
Bishop of Málaga 1717–1725 |
Diego González Toro y Villalobos |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Alberoni, Giulio |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Italian cardinal |
| DATE OF BIRTH | May 21, 1664 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Fiorenzuola d'Arda |
| DATE OF DEATH | June 16, 1752 |