ALESSANDRO. - Cardinal, b. at Urbino on 16 Oct. 1692, d. at Rome on 19 Dec. 1779. Nephew of Clement XI, at fifteen he was colonel of the papal army, but later abandoned the military career for the ecclesiastical. In 1718 he succeeded his brother Annibale as secretary of the Memorials and in 1720 was sent on a mission to Vienna to negotiate the restitution of Comacchio, then occupied by the Austrians. Created cardinal by Innocent XIII in 1721, he served as librarian of the Holy Roman Church (enriching the Vatican Library with medals), ambassador of Austria to Rome, pro-protector of the Kingdom of Sardinia, of the hereditary states of the House of Austria, and of the Empire.
During the pontificates of Clement XIII and Clement XIV he was among the cardinals most opposed to the suppression of the Society of Jesus. A patron of the arts and artists, he had the Villa Albani built and assembled there precious collections of antiquities, works of art, medals, and coins. He was a protector and friend of Winckelmann and inherited the illustrious archaeologist’s rich collections.
GIANFRANCESCO. - Cardinal, b. at Rome on 26 Feb. 1720, d. there on 15 Sept. 1803. Nephew of Alessandro and of Annibale, he was created cardinal by Benedict XIV and wore the purple for fifty years. Appointed in 1757 protector of Polish affairs, he took part in negotiations with Catherine II to regulate the situation of Catholics. In 1760 he became bishop of Sabina, in 1773 he was transferred to the suburbicarian see of Porto and Santa Rufina, and in 1775, as dean of the Sacred College, he became bishop of Ostia and Velletri. In 1797, during the French invasion of Rome, he was forced to flee first to Naples and then to Venice, where, upon the Pope’s death, he took an active part in the conclave that elected Pius VII.
GIUSEPPE. - Cardinal of the same princely family, b. at Rome on 13 Sept. 1750, d. at Pesaro on 3 Dec. 1834. Chamberlain of Pius VI, he was sent to Vienna in 1784 to present the blessed sash at the baptism of Archduke Ferdinand, later Emperor. Remaining in that city for several years, he collaborated with the nuncio Ruffo Scilla in handling matters then pending with the Holy See. Created cardinal by Pius VII on 23 Feb. 1801, he was shortly afterwards (1803) appointed protector of the Empire of Austria. In that capacity, in the 1823 conclave, he pronounced the veto against the election of Cardinal Severoli, who, as nuncio in Vienna, had indefatigably defended the rights of the Church. Leo XII appointed him pro-secretary of Briefs and legate to Bologna in 1824; Pius VIII, whose election he had greatly facilitated, made him Secretary of State in 1829; Gregory XVI, in 1832, named him commissioner in the Legations to restore order, a post in which he displayed great energy and uncommon administrative ability. He also served as librarian of the Holy Roman Church and died as legate of Pesaro and Urbino.