ERSKINE, CARLO. - Cardinal, b. in Rome on 13 Feb. 1743 to a most noble family originally from Scotland, d. in Paris on 11 March 1811. Having devoted himself to the practice of law, he became famous for the juridical acumen with which he handled cases and was hailed as a restorer of fine forensic writing for his perfect mastery of the Latin language. Admitted to the prelature, he was subsequently appointed by Pius VI consistorial advocate and auditor of His Holiness.
The cardinal secretary of State Francesco Saverio De Zelada, on 6 June 1793, designated him as representative of the Holy See at a congress that was to be held by the powers at war against France. By Pius VI he was sent to London with the title of his representative at the court of England, and at the death of the Pontiff he celebrated in the church of St. Patrick solemn obsequies to his memory, with a funeral oration in the English language, which he had printed; that was the first time, after the Reformation, that funeral honors were rendered to a pontiff in the city of London.
He also acquired particular merits toward the Congregation of Propaganda Fide and the Catholic missions. Created cardinal and reserved in petto by Pius VII in the Consistory of 3 Feb. 1801, his appointment was published on 17 Jan. 1803 and he was assigned the deaconry of S. Maria in Portico. He retained, for some time, the Secretariat of Briefs, and during the Napoleonic occupation, having gone to Paris, E. was among the cardinals who took part in the marriage of Napoleon with Marie Louise.
Bibliography2 works
Mario De Camilli