ARCHINTO, ALBERICO

ARCHINTO, ALBERICO. - Cardinal, born in Milan on 8 Nov. 1698, died in Rome on 30 Sept. 1758. He took his degree in law at the University of Pavia in 1722 and subsequently entered the College of Jurists of Milan. He became abbot of S. Maria di Brera, of SS. Pietro e Paolo di Viboldone, and of SS. Pietro e Calocero di Civate. He accompanied his uncle Girolamo Archinto to Cologne. Having come to Rome in 1724, he was appointed referendary of the Segnature di Grazia e Giustizia and then apostolic protonotary. In 1730 he was appointed vice-legate at Bologna by Clemente XII. Numbered among the ponenti of the Consulta, he was elected, in 1739, archbishop of Nicea and obtained the nunciature of Tuscany. Because of the disagreements that arose between the apostolic nuncio and the grand duke of Tuscany, Francesco di Lorena, over the Inquisition, A. was transferred by Benedetto XIV, in 1746, to the nunciature of Poland. Having returned to Rome in 1754, he was appointed governor of the city. On 5 Apr. 1756 he was created cardinal and shortly thereafter appointed secretary of State and chancellor of the S. R. Chiesa. He was confirmed in this important office by Clemente XIII, successor to Benedetto XIV. He was buried in the basilica of S. Lorenzo in Damaso.