Agostino Rivarola

Agostino Rivarola or Rivaròla (March 14, 1758 - November 7, 1842) was an Italian Roman Catholic cardinal. He is known for his vigorous defense of papal authority during and after the Napoleonic invasion.

Portrait of the Cardinal

Biography

He was born in Genoa. He may be related to the Cardinal Domenico Rivarola (1575-1627). He rose to become governor of San Severino Marche in 1793-1797, then apostolic protonotary in 1800. He fled from French forces until the restoration of Papal authority in 1814. By 1817, he had been named cardinal. During 1824-1826, he pursued Carbonari revolutionaries in the province of Ravenna. Over 500 were imprisoned in 1825, including 5 capital punishments (all commuted). In 1826, he returned to Rome.[1]

However prior to returning to Rome,on July 23, 1826, while his carriage was on the streets of Ravenna, a pair of Carbonari attempted to assassinate him by firing into his cab. A fellow passenger of his entourage, Canon Muti, died from the gunshot. A later investigation under the Pope Leo XII was concluded on April 26, 1828 with five death sentences, which putatively were carried out in Ravenna on May 13, 1828. They included Leonida Montanari and Angelo Targhini.

Rivarola participated in the conclave of 1829 and conclave of 1830-1831.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Agostino Rivarola in Encyclopedia Treccani.
  2. ↑ Biographies of Cardinals, hosted at Florida International University.
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