Giulio Maria della Somaglia

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.

His Eminence

Giulio Maria della Somaglia
SeeAntioch
Installed1 June 1795
Other postsSecretary of the Inquisition
Orders
Ordination1787
Consecration21 December 1788
Hyacinthe-Sigismond Gerdil
Created cardinal1 June 1795
RankDean of the College of Cardinals
Personal details
Born(1744-07-29)29 July 1744
Piacenza, Italy
Died2 April 1830(1830-04-02) (aged 85)
Styles of
Giulio Maria della Somaglia
Reference styleHis Eminence
Spoken styleYour Eminence
Informal styleCardinal
SeeAntioch
Ordination history of
Giulio Maria della Somaglia
History
Episcopal consecration
Consecrated byHyacinthe-Sigismond Gerdil
Date21 December 1788
Episcopal succession
Bishops consecrated by Giulio Maria della Somaglia as principal consecrator
Fabrizio Cimino2 February 1798
Annibale Di Leo2 February 1798
Michele Palmieri2 February 1798
Filippo Speranza2 February 1798
Florido Pierleoni26 September 1802
Giulio Rossi4 November 1804

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.

References
    • Salvador Miranda, The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, Biography. Retrieved: 2016-10-23.
    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
    Ercole Consalvi    		 Cardinal Secretary of State
    28 September 1823 – 17 January 1828    		 Succeeded by
    Tommaso Bernetti
    (Pro-Secretary)
    Preceded by
    Alessandro Mattei    		 Bishop of Ostia
    29 May 1820 – 2 April 1830    		 Succeeded by
    Bartolomeo Pacca
    Dean of the College of Cardinals
    29 May 1820 – 2 April 1830
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