BUSCA, IGNATIUS. — Cardinal, born in Milan on 23 Nov. 1731, died in Rome on 12 Aug. 1803. Nuncio in Flanders from Sept. 1775 to June 1785, with the title of Archbishop of Emesa. Later governor of Rome, he was created cardinal by Pius VI with the title of S. Maria degli Angeli. In Aug. 1796 he succeeded Cardinal Zelada in the office of Secretary of State. Although in principle favourable to agreements with Bonaparte, Cardinal B., faced with the exorbitant French demands, broke off negotiations and strove to safeguard the Papal States from the French threat, both diplomatically by opening negotiations with Naples and Vienna and militarily by reorganising the papal army. After the invasion of the Papal States by Bonaparte and the signing of the Treaty of Tolentino, Cardinal B. resigned from his high office.
BUSCA, IGNAZIO
BIBL.: G. Moroni, *Dizionario di erudizione storico-ecclesiastica*, VI, Venice 1840, p. 171; J. Du Teil, *Rome, Naples et le Directoire*, Paris 1902, passim; Pastor, XVI, III, especially p. 614 sgg.