Gian Francesco Albani

For other uses, see Albani (disambiguation).

His Eminence

Gian Francesco Albani

Dean of the College of Cardinals
Church| Roman Catholic
In office| 1774–1803
Predecessor| Carlo Alberto Guidoboni Cavalchini
Successor| Henry Benedict Stuart
Other post(s)| Cardinal-Bishop of Ostia
(1775–1803)
Orders
Ordination| 31 March 1748 (deacon)
1759 (priest)
Consecration| 21 September 1760
by Pope Clement XIII
Created cardinal| 10 April 1747
by Pope Benedict XIV
Rank| Cardinal-Bishop
Personal details
Born| 26 February 1720

Rome, Papal States

Died| 15 September 1803
(aged 83)
Rome, Papal States
Coat of arms|

Gian Francesco Albani (26 February 1720 – 15 September 1803) was a Roman Catholic Cardinal. He was a member of the Albani family.

## Biography

[edit]

Albani was born in Rome, the son of Carlo Albani, Duke of Soriano; his grand-uncle was Pope Clement XI (Gianfrancesco Albani). Furthermore, two of his uncles Annibale Albani and Alessandro Albani were cardinals, and was himself uncle of cardinal Giuseppe Albani (with whom he was, for two years, concurrently cardinal).

In October 1740 he was made Protonotary apostolic, quickly followed by being made the vicar of the patriarchal Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in March 1742. Later in the same year, in November, he was made president of the Papal chamber; and also cleric of the Apostolic Chamber less than a year later (September 1743). He further became relator of the S. C. of Indulgences and Sacred Relics in 1743.

Gian Francesco Albani

On 10 April 1747 he was made cardinal deacon and was given the deaconry of San Cesareo in Palatio on 15 May. He went on to receive the subdiaconate (November 1747) and the diaconate (31 March 1748). He acted as Cardinal Protector of the Kingdom of Poland in the Roman Curia. In 1758 he participated in the Papal conclave.

He went on to the presbyteral order on 12 February 1759 with the titulus of S. Clemente; and the episcopal order on 21 July 1760 as bishop of the suburbicarian see of Sabina. He further opted for the see of Porto e Santa Rufina on 17 March 1773 and having become Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals, received in addition Ostia and opted for Velletri on 18 December 1775. He further participated in the Papal conclaves of 1769, 1774–1775, and 1799–1800. He was also made archpriest of the patriarchal Liberian basilica and Prefect of the S. C. ceremonial.

His political orientation appeared to be pro-Austrian, anti-French and, with the French invasion of the Papal States in 1798 he absconded to Naples, before moving to Venice where the Papal conclave of 1800 took place. He died in Rome on the 15 September 1803—his funeral was held in the church of Santa Maria in Vallicella, Rome and was buried in the patriarchal Liberian basilica.

## References

[edit]

* "Consistory of April 10, 1747". The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church. Retrieved 18 April 2005.

Catholic Church titles

Preceded by

Giovanni Battista Spinola

|  Cardinal-Deacon of San Cesareo in Palatio
15 April 1747 - 12 February 1759  | Succeeded by

Giovanni Costanzio Caracciolo

Preceded by

Cosimo Imperiali

|  Cardinal-Priest of San Clemente
1759-1760  | Succeeded by

Carlo Rezzonico

Preceded by

Joaquín Fernàndez de Portocarrero Mendoza

|  Cardinal-bishop of Sabina
1760-1773
Preceded by

Camillo Paolucci

|  Cardinal-bishop of Porto
1773–1775
Preceded by

Fabrizio Serbelloni

|  Cardinal-bishop of Ostia
1774–1803  | Succeeded by

Henry Benedict Maria Clement Stuart

Preceded by

Carlo Alberto Guidoboni Cavalchini

|  Dean of the College of Cardinals
1774–1803

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