Editing Giulio Alberoni

{{Short description|Italian cardinal and statesman (1664–1752)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
[[File:El cardenal Alberoni (Museo del Prado).jpg|thumb|right|Cardinal Alberoni]]
'''Giulio Alberoni''' (21 May 1664 OS – 26 June NS 1752) was an Italian [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|cardinal]] and statesman in the service of [[Philip V of Spain]].<ref>The standard life is P. Castagnoli, ''Il Cardinale Giulio Alberoni'', 3 vols., 1929–32.</ref>

==Early years==
He was born near [[Piacenza]] on May 21, 1664,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Vesnitch |first=Mil R. |date=1913 |title=Cardinal Alberoni: An Italian Precursor of Pacifism and International Arbitration |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-journal-of-international-law/article/abs/cardinal-alberoni-an-italian-precursor-of-pacifism-and-international-arbitration/C8BE8F362AD6D669678BAE839CFC60E4 |journal=American Journal of International Law |language=en |volume=7 |issue=1 |pages=51–82 |doi=10.2307/2186963 |jstor=2186963 |issn=0002-9300|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-12 |title=Giulio Alberoni {{!}} Italian Statesman, Cardinal, Diplomat {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Giulio-Alberoni |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> probably at the village of [[Fiorenzuola d'Arda]] in the [[Duchy of Parma]].

His father, who was a gardener, died when Alberoni was only ten years old.<ref name=Chambers>"Alberoni, Giulio''[[Chambers's Encyclopædia]]''. London: [[George Newnes Ltd|George Newnes]], 1961, Vol. 1, p. 223.</ref><ref name="MW">{{cite book |last1=Walsh |first1=Michael |title=The Cardinals: Thirteen Centuries of the Men Behind the Papal Throne |date=2011 |publisher=William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company |location=Grand Rapids, Michigan |isbn=9780802829412}}</ref> He himself became first connected with the church in the humble position of a [[Bell-ringer|bellringer]] and [[verger]] in the [[Duomo di Piacenza|Duomo of Piacenza]];{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}} he was twenty-one when the judge Ignazio Gardini, of [[Ravenna]], was banished, and he followed Gardini to Ravenna, where he met the vice-legate [[Giorgio Barni]], who was made [[bishop of Piacenza]] in 1688 and appointed Alberoni chamberlain of his household. Alberoni took priest's orders, having been ordained in the Cathedral of Parma, and afterwards accompanied the nephew of the Bishop of Parma to Rome but returned to Parma two years later to be a canon of the cathedral chapter.<ref name="MW" />

During the [[War of the Spanish Succession]], Alberoni laid the foundation of his political success by the services he rendered to [[Louis Joseph de Bourbon, duc de Vendôme|Louis-Joseph, duc de Vendôme]], commander of the French forces in Italy, to whom the [[Francesco Farnese, Duke of Parma|duke of Parma]] had sent him.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}} When the French forces were recalled in 1706, he accompanied the duke to Paris, where he was favourably received by [[Louis XIV of France|Louis XIV]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}

==Middle years==
[[File:Affresco contro il Card. Alberoni Palazzo Pubblico San Marino.JPG|thumb|right|200px|Anti-Alberoni fresco, from the Palace San Marino]]
When Vendôme was defeated by Marlborough at the [[Battle of Oudenarde]] in 1708, Alberoni was able to convince the Duke of Alba—the Spanish ambassador to the French court—to place Vendôme in charge of Spanish forces by 1710.<ref name="MW" /> Alberoni accompanied Vendôme to Spain as his [[Secretary of State (Ancient Regime in Spain)|secretary]] and became very active in promoting the cause of the French candidate [[Philip V of Spain|Philip V]]. Following Vendôme's death, in 1713 he was made a [[Count]] and appointed Consular agent for Parma at Philip's court where he was a Royal favourite.

Under the terms of the 1713 [[Treaty of Utrecht]], Philip became King of Spain but the Spanish Empire was effectively partitioned. [[Southern Netherlands|The Southern Netherlands]] and their Italian possessions were ceded to the [[Habsburg monarchy|Austrian Habsburgs]] and [[Savoy]], [[Menorca]] and [[Gibraltar]] went to Britain while British merchants gained trading rights in the previously closed market of the Spanish Americas.

At this time, the key powerbroker at the Spanish court was [[Marie-Anne de la Trémoille, princesse des Ursins]] who dominated Phillip and his wife [[Maria Luisa of Savoy]]. Alberoni worked with her and when Maria Luisa died in 1714 they arranged for Philip to marry [[Elizabeth Farnese|Elisabetta Farnese]], daughter of the Duke of Parma.<ref name="MW" />

Elisabetta was a strong personality herself and formed an alliance with Alberoni, their first action being to banish the Princesse des Ursins.<ref>E Armstrong, "The Influence of Alberoni in the Disgrace of the Princess des Ursins" ''English Historical Review'', 1890.</ref> By the end of 1715, Alberoni had been made a Duke and [[Grandee]] of Spain, a member of the King's council, [[Bishop of Málaga]] and Chief Minister of the [[Monarchy of Spain#Bourbon Monarchy|Hispanic Monarchy]]. In July 1717, [[Pope Clement XI]] appointed him a Cardinal Deacon, allegedly because of his assistance in resolving several ecclesiastical disputes between Rome and Madrid in favour of Rome.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Moore|first1=George|title=Lives of Cardinal Alberoni, the Duke of Ripperda and Marquis of Pombal|date=1814|publisher=Forgotten Books|oclc=22667803|page=33|edition=2017|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mqFQAAAAcAAJ&q=cardinal+alberoni&pg=PA33}}</ref>

One outcome of the war was to reduce the powers of [[Council of Castile|Castile]] and [[Council of Aragon|Aragon]] and create a Spanish state similar to the centralised French system. This allowed Alberoni to copy the economic reforms of [[Jean-Baptiste Colbert|Colbert]] and he passed a series of decrees aimed at restoring the Spanish economy. These abolished internal custom-houses, promoted trade with [[Council of the Indies|the Americas]], instituted a regular mail service to the colonies and reorganised state finances along lines established by the French economist [[Jean Orry]]. Some attempts were made to satisfy Spanish conservatives e.g. a new School of Navigation was reserved for the sons of the nobility.

[[File:Pier Leone Ghezzi Papa Clemente XI conferisce berretta a Giulio Alberoni.jpg|thumb|left|Pier Leone Ghezzi – Pope Clement XI confers the cardinal's hat to Giulio Alberoni, oil on canvas 1724, Museum of Rome]]
[[File:The Battle of Cape Passaro, 11 August 1718 RMG BHC0351.tiff|thumb|left|[[Battle of Cape Passaro]], 11 August 1718; the destruction of the Spanish fleet off Sicily]]

These reforms made Spain confident enough to attempt the recovery of territories in Italy ceded to [[Savoy]] and [[Charles VI of Austria]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Harcourt-Smith|first1=Simon|title=Cardinal of Spain: The Life and Strange Career of Alberoni|url=https://archive.org/details/cardinalofspainl00harc|url-access=registration|date=1944|publisher=Knopf|page=[https://archive.org/details/cardinalofspainl00harc/page/3 3] passim}}</ref> In 1717, a Spanish force occupied [[Sardinia]] unopposed; neither Austria or Savoy had significant naval forces and Austria was engaged in the [[Austro-Turkish War of 1716–18]]. This assumed the British would not intervene but when 38,000 Spanish troops landed on Sicily in 1718, Britain declared it a violation of Utrecht. On 2 August 1718, Britain, France, the Netherlands and the Austrians formed the [[Quadruple Alliance (1718)|Quadruple Alliance]] and on 11 August the Royal Navy destroyed a Spanish fleet off Sicily at the [[Battle of Cape Passaro]].

Alberoni now attempted to offset British in the Mediterranean by sponsoring a [[Jacobite rising of 1719|Jacobite landing]] to divert their naval resources; he also sought to end the [[Anglo-French Alliance (1716–1731)|1716 Anglo-French Alliance]] by using the [[Cellamare conspiracy]] to replace the current French Regent [[Philippe II, Duke of Orléans|the Duke of Orleans]] with Phillip of Spain. However, he failed to appreciate that Britain was now powerful enough to maintain naval superiority in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic while France declared war on Spain in December 1718 on the discovery of the Conspiracy.

France invaded eastern Spain and in October 1719 a British naval expedition captured the Spanish port of [[Capture of Vigo|Vigo]]; they landed 6,000 troops, held Vigo for ten days, destroyed vast quantities of stores and equipment and then re-embarked unopposed. The nearby city of [[Santiago de Compostela]] even paid £40,000 in return for being left alone.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Rodger|first1=NAM|title=The Command of the Ocean: A Naval History of Britain 1649–1815; Volume 2.|date=2006|publisher=Penguin|isbn=9780141026909|page=229}}</ref> As intended, this was a crushing demonstration of British naval power and showed the Spanish Britain could land anywhere along their coastline and leave when they wanted to.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Simms|first1=Brendan|title=Three Victories and a Defeat: The Rise and Fall of the First British Empire, 1714–1783.|date=2008|publisher=Penguin|isbn=9780140289848|page=141}}</ref> The failure of his policy meant Alberoni was dismissed on 5 December 1719 and ordered to leave Spain, with [[Treaty of The Hague (1720)|the Treaty of The Hague]] in 1720 confirming the outcome of Utrecht. In an effort to persuade the Pope to depose Alberoni, charges were laid against him: failures in chastity, not wearing appropriate clerical dress, and not having said Mass for years.<ref name="MW" />

==Later years==
[[File:Cardinale Giulio Alberoni.jpg|thumb|Cardinal Giulio Alberoni]]
[[File:Dupuis Charles - Jules Alberoni -.jpg|thumb|Engraving of Cardinal Alberoni]]
Alberoni followed the order and left Spain for Italy. At [[Lleida]], his belongings were searched to ensure that no state papers were in his possession. After leaving Barcelona, he was plundered by bandits. His baggage was again searched at [[Narbonne]], by Customs officers under orders from the Chevalier de Marcieu, who had been ordered by the Regent of France to accompany Alberoni and extract whatever information he could from the Cardinal. Sailing for Italy, he was met at [[Sestri Levante]] in Genoese territory by a papal official, who forbade his entry into the Papal States, on penalty of imprisonment. When Alberoni retreated to Genoa, the Emperor and the Pope each tried to have him detained. On 19 March 1720, Clement XI appointed a Commission of Cardinals to try Alberoni: Albani, Astalli, Barberini, Bentivoglio, Conti, Corradini, Corsini, Fabroni, Paracciani, Paolucci, Scotti, Tanara, Tolomei, Vallemani, and Zondadari; they were joined by three other prelates: Alamanni, Marefoschi and Riviera. He escaped from arrest at Genoa, as the Genoese allowed him to go on his way, and found refuge at [[Castelnuovo Scrivia]], in Austrian territory in Lombardy.<ref name="AP">{{cite book |last1=Professione |first1=Alfonso |title=Il ministero in Spagna e il processo del Cardinale Giulio Alberoni |date=1897 |publisher=G. Gaspari |location=Torino}}</ref> On the death of Clement in 1721, Alberoni boldly appeared at the [[1721 papal conclave|conclave]], and took part in the election of [[Pope Innocent XIII|Innocent XIII]] (The cardinals voted to allow Alberoni to participate, but many of them refused to have anything to do with him personally), after which he was for a short time imprisoned in a monastery by the new pontiff on the demand of Spain on charges including [[sodomy]] ([[Elizabeth Charlotte, Madame Palatine|Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatine]] noted in her diaries that he was a [[pederast]]).<ref name="LC">{{cite book |last1=Cardella |first1=Lorenzo |title=Memorie Storiche de' Cardinali Della Santa Romana Chiesa |date=1792–97 |publisher=Pagliarini |location=Rome}}</ref><ref>Eugene Marie, "L'amore omosessuale", 1983</ref> He was ultimately cleared by a commission of his fellow Cardinals. At the [[1724 papal conclave|conclave]] that would elect [[Pope Benedict XIII]] (1724), Alberoni had been himself proposed for the papal chair and secured ten votes.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}} Alberoni received the titular church [[Sant'Adriano al Foro]] (a cardinal-deaconry) in 1724, and then was made Cardinal Priest of [[San Crisogono]] in 1728.

Benedict's successor, [[Pope Clement XII|Clement XII]] (elected 1730), named him legate of [[Ravenna]], where he erected the Porta Alberoni (1739), a magnificent gateway that formerly provided access to the city's dockyards, and has since been moved to the entrance of the Teatro Rasi.<ref>http://www.racine.ra.it/ravenna/english/keys/historical/porta_alberoni_uk.htm {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041112030139/http://www.racine.ra.it/ravenna/english/keys/historical/porta_alberoni_uk.htm |date=12 November 2004 }}; G. Cattanei, ''Il cardinale Giulio Alberoni e la sua esperienza di legato a Ravenna'', 2008.</ref> That same year, the strong and unwarrantable measures he adopted to subject the grand republic of [[San Marino]] to the papal states incurred the pope's displeasure and left a historical scar in that place's memory.<ref>[http://www.guardiadelconsiglio.sm/English/history.htm San Marino subjugation]</ref> He was soon replaced by another legate in 1740, the same year he was made Cardinal Protector of [[San Lorenzo in Lucina]]. He retired to [[Piacenza]], where in 1730 Clement XII appointed him administrator of the hospital of [[San Lazzaro e San Vincenzo De Paoli, Piacenza|San Lazzaro]], an institute founded in the medieval era for the benefit of [[leprosy|lepers]]. Since leprosy had nearly disappeared in Italy, Alberoni obtained the consent of the pope to suppress the hospital, which had fallen into great disorder, and replaced it with a seminary for the priestly education of seventy poor boys, under the name of the [[Collegio Alberoni]], which it still bears.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}} Collegio Alberoni's graduates include remarkable prelates such as [[Agostino Casaroli]], [[Silvio Oddi]], and [[Antonio Samorè]].

==Death and legacy==
He died on 26 June 1752, leaving a sum of 600,000 [[ducat]]s to [[endow]] the [[seminary]] he had founded. He left the rest of the immense wealth he had acquired in Spain to his nephew. Alberoni produced many [[manuscript]]s. The genuineness of the Political Testament, published in his name at [[Lausanne]] in 1753, has been questioned.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}

The Cardinal's collections of art gathered in Rome and Piacenza, housed in his richly appointed private apartments, have been augmented by the Collegio. There are remarkable suites of Flemish tapestries, and paintings, among which the most famous is the ''Ecce Homo'' by [[Antonello da Messina]] (1473), but which also include panels by [[Jan Provoost]] and other Flemish artists, oil paintings by [[Domenico Maria Viani]] and [[Francesco Solimena]].

Alberoni was a [[gourmand]]. Interspersed in his official correspondence with Parma are requests for local delicacies ''triffole'' ([[truffles]]), [[salame]], robiola cheeses, and ''[[agnolini]]'' (kind of pasta).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.comune.piacenza.it/english/localcusine.htm |title= Local cuisine|website=www.comune.piacenza.it |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070622042943/http://www.comune.piacenza.it/english/localcusine.htm |archive-date=22 June 2007}}</ref> The pork dish ''"[[Coppa del Cardinale]]"'', a specialty of Piacenza, is named for him. A ''"[[timballo]] Alberoni"'' combines maccaroni, shrimp sauce, mushrooms, butter and cheese.

==References and sources==
;References
{{reflist}}
;Sources
* {{cite book| last= Harcourt-Smith| first= Simon| title=Cardinal of Spain: the Life and Strange Career of Giulio Alberoni| location= New York| publisher= Knopf| year= 1955}}
* Kuethe, Allan J. "Cardinal Alberoni and Reform in the American Empire." in Francisco A. Eissa-Barroso y Ainara Vázquez Varela, eds. ''Early Bourbon Spanish America. Politics and Society in a forgotten Era (1700–1759)'' (Brill, 2013): 23–38.

{{Commons category|Giulio Alberoni}}
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01260a.htm ''Catholic Encyclopedia'':] Giulio Alberoni
* [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/balberoni.html Catholic Hierarchy:] Giulio Cardinal Alberoni
* [http://www.fiu.edu/~mirandas/conclave-xviii.htm Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church:] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180120034845/http://www2.fiu.edu/~mirandas/conclave-xviii.htm |date=20 January 2018 }} Conclave of 31 March – 8 May 1724
* [http://www.museionline.it/eng/cerca/museo.asp?id=2125 Collegio Alberoni, Piacenza]
* [http://www.guardiadelconsiglio.sm/English/history.htm The San Marino event of 1739–40]
{{EB1911|wstitle=Alberoni, Giulio|volume=1|page=493}}

{{Subject bar |portal1= Biography |portal2= Catholicism |portal3= Italy}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alberoni, Giulio}}
[[Category:1664 births]]
[[Category:1752 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Fiorenzuola d'Arda]]
[[Category:18th-century Italian cardinals]]
[[Category:Grandees of Spain]]
[[Category:People of the War of the Quadruple Alliance]]