GAYSRUCK, KARL GAETAN. - Cardinal, b. 7 Aug. 1769 at Klagenfurt, in Carinthia, d. 19 Nov. 1846 at Milan. Son of Giovanni Giacomo G. and Baroness Antonia dei Valvassori, the young G. studied at the Theresian Academy of Buda and at Salzburg, entered the ecclesiastical career, and was ordained priest in 1797.
Bishop of Derbe and coadjutor to the bishop of Passau, after the secularization of that bishopric he exercised its pastoral governance from Kalham, in the diocese of Linz, an office conferred upon him by Emperor Francesco I, who wished to retain G. in the Habsburg states after the annexation of Passau to Bavaria. In 1816 G. was chosen by the sovereign as archbishop of Milan, vacant since 1810, but canonical preconization was obtained only on 16 March 1818. In the Consistory of 27 Sept. 1824 Leo XII created G. cardinal of the title of S. Marco. He took part in the Conclaves from which Pius VIII and Gregory XVI were elected, but did not arrive in time for that of June-July 1846. The assertion that, at this Conclave, G. brought Austria’s veto against the election of Cardinal Mastai Ferretti is incorrect, because Metternich intended to exclude from the shortlist only Bernetti. As archbishop of Milan he governed the vast diocese capably, taking particular care for the education of the younger clergy.