Giulio Alberoni

Giulio Alberoni (May 21, 1664 OS - June 26 NS, 1752), Italian cardinal and

Later years

He went to Italy, escaped from arrest at Genoa, and had to take refuge among the Apennines, Pope Clement XI, who was his bitter enemy, having given strict orders for his arrest. On the death of Clement in 1721, Alberoni boldly appeared at the conclave, and took part in the election of Innocent XIII, after which he was for a short time imprisoned by the new pontiff on the demand of Spain, but was cleared of all charges by a commission of his fellow Cardinals. At the next election (1724) he was himself proposed for the papal chair, and secured ten votes at the conclave that elected Benedict XIII.

Related Topics:
Apennines - Pope Clement XI - 1721 - Innocent XIII - 1724 - Benedict XIII

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Benedict's successor, 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 (since moved to the entrance of the Teatro Rasi) http://www.racine.ra.it/ravenna/english/keys/historical/porta_alberoni_uk.htm. The same year he incurred the pope's displeasure by the strong and unwarrantable measures he adopted to reduce the little republic of San Marino to subjection to Rome, an episode that remains prominent in local memory http://www.guardiadelconsiglio.sm/English/history.htm. He was consequently replaced by another legate in 1740, and soon after he retired to Piacenza. Clement XII appointed him administrator of the hospital of San Lazzaro at Piacenza in 1730. The hospital was a medieval foundation for the benefit of lepers. The disease having disappeared from Italy, Alberoni obtained the consent of the pope to the suppression of the hospital, which had fallen into great disorder, and replaced it by a college for the education of seventy poor boys for the priesthood, under the name of the Collegio Alberoni, which it still bears. 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.

Related Topics:
Clement XII - 1730 - Ravenna - 1739 - San Marino - 1740 - Piacenza - Lepers - Antonello da Messina - 1473 - Jan Provoost

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Alberoni was a gourmet. Interspersed in his official correspondence with Parma are requests for local delicacies triffole (truffles), salame, ribiola cheeses, and anolini http://www.comune.piacenza.it/english/localcusine.htm. 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.

Related Topics:
Truffle - Salame

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