Francesco Saverio eZelada (27 August 1717, in Rome – 19 December 1801, in Rome) was a

cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...

of the Roman Catholic Church, born of a Spanish family, who served in the Papal Curia and in the diplomatic service of the

Holy See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...

. He was educated at the University of La Sapienza, gaining degrees in both canon and civil law. He was ordained on 23 October 1740. Zelada was appointed titular Archbishop of Petra on 23 December 1766, and cardinal priest in the consistory of 19 April 1773. Appointed by means of a papal brief of Pope Clement XIV, he was the principal negotiator for the

and composer of the brief '' Dominus ac Redemptor'' of 8 June 1773, that suppressed the Society of Jesus. On 2 October, the ''Diario di Roma'' reported he had been given a Meissen group representing the death of St. Francis Xavier, confiscated from the Jesuits. Already

Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals The Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals was the treasurer of the College of Cardinals in the Catholic Church. The title is based on an Italian word for chamberlain, a word no longer used in secular contexts. The position existed from at ...

(1783–84), his career culminated in his appointment by

Pope Pius VI Pope Pius VI ( it, Pio VI; born Count Giovanni Angelo Braschi, 25 December 171729 August 1799) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 February 1775 to his death in August 1799. Pius VI condemned the French Revoluti ...

Cardinal Secretary of State The Secretary of State of His Holiness (Latin: Secretarius Status Sanctitatis Suae, it, Segretario di Stato di Sua Santità), commonly known as the Cardinal Secretary of State, presides over the Holy See's Secretariat of State, which is the ...

, 1789–1796, in which post he was entrusted with difficult negotiations with the French Revolutionary state, which included his conclusion of peace in 1793. With the French occupation of Rome, Cardinal Zelada retired to

Tuscany Tuscany ( ; it, Toscana ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of about 3.8 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence (''Firenze''). Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, art ...

. Following Pius' death, Zelada participated in the Papal conclave of 1800 that elected

Pope Pius VII Pope Pius VII ( it, Pio VII; born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti; 14 August 1742 – 20 August 1823), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 14 March 1800 to his death in August 1823. Chiaramonti was also a m ...

. Librarian of the Holy Roman Church from 15 December 1779 until his death, Cardinal Zelada was not known for his religious fervor. Rather he was a great collector of books, of coins and medals and other works of art, and of scientific machines. He had a telescope installed in his house near Il Gesù, and transferred it to his residence as Cardinal-Librarian. He installed an observatory at the Collegio Romano. After his death his printed books went to the

Vatican Library The Vatican Apostolic Library ( la, Bibliotheca Apostolica Vaticana, it, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana), more commonly known as the Vatican Library or informally as the Vat, is the library of the Holy See, located in Vatican City. Formally es ...

, while his manuscripts - already sent to Spain for safe keeping - went to the capitular library of

Toledo Toledo most commonly refers to: * Toledo, Spain, a city in Spain * Province of Toledo, Spain * Toledo, Ohio, a city in the United States Toledo may also refer to: Places Belize * Toledo District * Toledo Settlement Bolivia * Toledo, Orur ...

.Röttgen 1970:65, quoting Vian Nello, "un piccolo fondo sulla rivoluzione francese", ''Studium", (July – August 1965:7f). His collection of anatomical models he bequeathed to the Ospedale di Santo Spirito. He is buried in the church of

San Martino ai Monti San Martino ai Monti, officially known as Santi Silvestro e Martino ai Monti ("Saints Sylvester & Martin in the Mountains"), is a minor basilica in Rome, Italy, in the Rione Monti neighbourhood. It is located near the edge of the Parco del Colle ...

, Rome.

Notes

External links

Salvador Miranda, Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church: Francesco Saverio de Zelada
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zelada, Francesco Saverio de 18th-century Italian cardinals Diplomats of the Holy See 1717 births 1801 deaths Cardinal Secretaries of State Major Penitentiaries of the Apostolic Penitentiary