**BERTAZZOLI, Francesco.** — Cardinal, born at Lugo on 10 May 1754, died at Rome on 7 April 1830. He studied theology in Bologna and was ordained in 1777. He enjoyed great credit with Pius VII, to whom he was bound by a deep friendship since the latter was Bishop of Imola; he assisted him financially when the future Pope had to go to the Conclave of Venice, since the future Pontiff gave half of the revenues of his see to the poor. Called to Rome by the Pope, he was named Bishop of Montalto, canon of Santa Maria Maggiore, secret almoner, and in 1808 Archbishop of Edessa *in partibus*. In 1811 he was part of the mission sent from Paris to the Pope imprisoned at Savona: a man of great faith but weak character, Bertazzoli was unable to resist the snares of Napoleonic politics and, together with Cardinal Roverella and others, induced Pius VII to make the concessions of Fontainebleau, which, if not courageously revoked, would have struck at the authority and prestige of the Papacy. Though the errors of Fontainebleau were repaired, Bertazzoli must also be credited with his share of merit. He worked assiduously for the retraction of the unfortunate concessions, and this was the best proof of his good faith in the preceding events. He returned to Rome with the Pope and was created cardinal with the title of Santa Maria sopra Minerva on 10 March 1823. Under Leo XII he was transferred to the suburbicarian see of Palestrina, and Pius VIII named him his secret almoner. He was a friend of Cardinal Cappellari (later Pope Gregory XVI), who was appointed executor of his last will. He was buried in Santa Maria sopra Minerva, where a monument was erected to him by his nephew Pietro, a work by Rinaldi.
**BERTELLI, Leopoldo.** — Barnabite, in religion P. Tinto, born at Bologna on 26 October 1826, died at the college “Alla Querce” in Florence on 6 February 1905. Physicist and seismologist, pioneer in the study of microsisms, historian of science. He completed his studies at the Barnabite public schools in Bologna and was ordained priest in Naples (1850). For over fifty years he taught mathematics and physics in the colleges of his Order in Naples, Macerata, Bologna, Parma, and from 1868 in Florence, where he remained until his death. His versatility as a scientist led him to investigate the most varied phenomena: electromagnetism, meteorology, astronomy; geological and paleontological research; thalassic and terrestrial physics; historical-scientific studies on marine sounding, the nautical compass, the barometer, the electric pile. But above all he stands at the forefront of the history of seismology, being one of its earliest cultivators and contributing significantly to its development through careful investigations. In his examination of phenomena not yet fully understood, he always sought confirmation of personal inductions or hypotheses through rigorous and assiduous experiments; for these he constructed various instruments, including one to record microsisms, which he called a “chronometer.” He published several works on the use and history of the compass that clarify the origins of the legend of Flavio Gioia. He was a member of many academies and from 1904 president of the Pontifical Academy of the New Lincei. He also directed the Vatican Observatory (1895-98).