Azara, José Nicolás de, Marchese di Nibbiano

AZARA, José Nicolás de, Marchese di Nibbiano. - Aragonese politician and diplomat, b. in 1730, d. in 1804. He was a follower of the philosophy and systems of the Encyclopedists. Appointed general agent of Spain in Rome in 1765, he resided there for fully thirty-two years, taking a very active part in all the affairs of his nation, beginning with the suppression of the Society of Jesus. He intrigued a great deal in the Conclave from which Clement XIV emerged. He also had some diplomatic missions at the Bourbon courts of Parma and Paris; but in 1776 we find him again in Rome as chargé d'affaires of Spain to Pius VI, and from 1784 as ambassador, always a friend of the leading men of letters and artists and also of the popes. He obtained from General Napoleon, in 1796, that the city of Rome be spared from occupation, and the city, as a token of gratitude, struck a medal for him, also honoring him with the title of Roman patrician. When Rome was taken two years later following the assassination of General Duphot and Pius VI was exiled, he did everything in his power on behalf of the city, of Pius VI and Pius VII both in Italy and in France, where he was twice ambassador, leaving Rome with regret, which he called his second homeland. He published the works of the painter Mengs (Madrid 1780), those of Virgil, of Horace (Parma 1791, 1793) and of other Latin classics; he wrote on Garcilaso de la Vega, on the venerable Palafox and on other subjects.