AURELIO ROVERELLA. — Cardinal, born at Cesena on 21 Aug. 1748, died at Bourbon (Champagne) on 5 Sept. 1812. He enjoyed the esteem and trust of Pius VI, his fellow citizen. Auditor of the Roman Rota in 1785 and Auditor of His Holiness four years later, he was created cardinal on 21 Feb. 1794 with the title of SS. Giovanni e Paolo.
Pro-Datary in 1795, he received from Pius VI, when the latter fell ill (1797), very special faculties that were renewed when the Pope was violently torn from his see (20 Feb. 1798). He took part in the Conclave of Venice and on 23 May 1800 Pius VII chose him as one of the three legates a latere sent to take up the government of Rome. Having gone to France on account of the events of 1809, he did not join the heroic group of the so-called “black cardinals.” He in fact took part in Napoleon’s marriage to Maria Luisa and in 1811 was sent to Savona to induce Pius VII to modify his attitude toward the Emperor.