Antoniotto Botta Adorno

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Antoniotto Botta Adorno (c. 1688 - December 29, 1774) was a high officier of the Austrian Empire and a plenipotentiary of the Austrian Netherlands.

[edit] Biography

He was born in Branduzzo, Lombardy, to a noble family from Genoa whose members included seven doges of that city. His mother had an alleged love affair with King Philip V of Spain. A year after his birth his father, accused of an attempted coup, was expelled from the Republic of Genoa. In 1700 Antoniotto's father died, and, as the family fiefs went to his elder brother Alessandro, he chose the military career.

He distinguished during the Siege of Vienna, where he fought alongside Eugene of Savoy. Promoted subsequently as lieutenant colonel, general and marshal, he received the supreme command of Austrian troops in northern Italy during the War of Austrian Succession. In 1746 he led the Austro-Savoyard troops in the victorious Battle of Piacenza against the French-Spanish coalition.

In the September of the same year, as governor of Genoa, he suppressed the popular revolt led by Balilla. After the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, he became plenipotentiary of Netherlands under Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine. He reformed the army and tried to improve the conditions of the country. In 1753 he returned to Italy, where he was prime minister of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.

In 1762 he was appointed as ambassador at Catherine II of Russia's court. Three years later he became regent of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany after the death of emperor Francis I.

He died at Torre d'Isola, near Pavia, in 1774.

[edit] References

• Donaver, Federico (1967). Storia di Genova. Renzo Tolozzi Editore.