Giulio Maria della Somaglia
| His Eminence Giulio Maria della Somaglia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| See | Antioch |
| Installed | 1 June 1795 |
| Other posts | Secretary of the Inquisition |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1787 |
| Created Cardinal | 1 June 1795 |
| Rank | Dean of the College of Cardinals |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
29 July 1744 Piacenza, Italy |
| Died | 2 April 1830 (aged 85) |
| Styles of Giulio Maria della Somaglia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | Antioch |
Giulio Maria della Somaglia (29 July 1744 – 2 April 1830) was an Italian cardinal. He was — at least in his later life — a staunch zelante cardinal who, as Secretary of State under Pope Leo XII, helped enforce an authoritarian regime in the crumbling Papal States.
Born in Piacenza into a noble family, della Somaglia was sent to Rome at the young age of twelve and at the Collegio Nazzareno and La Sapienza University acquired degrees in both canon and civil law. In 1769 he became domestic prelate of Pope Clement XIV and under Pope Pius VI he was secretary to numerous curial congregations between 1773 and 1787. Although he was only ordained to the priesthood in 1787, he became titular Patriarch of Antioch the following year and on 1 June 1795 became a cardinal.
In his years as a cardinal della Somaglia played an important role as a negotiator with the revolutionary regime in France. Although he undoubtedly agreed with Pius VI's 1791 condemnation of the French Revolution and was expelled from Rome when Napoleon's army invaded in 1808, he was charged with the examination of the concordat with France several years later and this role actually served to taint della Somaglia's reputation in the eyes of fellow zelanti cardinals. From 1814 he was Secretary of the Inquisition and Dean of the College of Cardinals in 1820.
In the 1823 conclave, della Somaglia was considered papabile. In 1826 he resigned the post of Secretary of State but continued as Secretary of the Inquisition until his death in 1830. When he died, della Somaglia was the last cardinal still alive elevated by Pius VI.
della Somaglia was prematurely pronounced dead, similar to Cardinal Diego de Espinosa.[1]
Episcopal succession
| Episcopal lineage | |
| Consecrated by: | Hyacinthe-Sigismond Gerdil |
| Consecrator of | |
|---|---|
| Bishop | Date of consecration |
| Fabrizio Cimino | February 2, 1798 |
| Annibale Di Leo | February 2, 1798 |
| Michele Palmieri | February 2, 1798 |
| Filippo Speranza | February 2, 1798 |
| Florido Pierleoni | September 26, 1802 |
| Giulio Rossi | November 4, 1804 |
References
- ↑ Summers, Montague (1928). "The Origin of the Vampire". The Vampire, His Kith and Kin. pp. 36–37.
External links
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Giuseppe Maria Doria Pamphilj |
Cardinal-bishop of Frascati 26 September 1814 - 21 December 1818 |
Succeeded by Bartolomeo Pacca |
| Preceded by Antonio Dugnani |
Cardinal-bishop of Porto 21 December 1818 - 29 May 1820 |
Succeeded by Michele di Pietro |
| Preceded by Alessandro Mattei |
Cardinal-bishop of Ostia 29 May 1820 - 2 April 1830 |
Succeeded by Bartolomeo Pacca |
| Preceded by Ercole Consalvi |
Cardinal Secretary of State 28 September 1823 - 17 January 1828 |
Succeeded by Tommaso Bernetti (Pro-Secretary) |
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