CONSALVI, E'RCOLE, CARDINAL, born at Rome in June 1757, studied fur the church, but applied himself likewise to belles lettres, music, and the arts. Ho became a mousiguore, or prelate attached to the papal court, and was made, by Pius VI., Uditor di Ituots„ or mem ber of the highest civil court of the Roman state. Whoa Cardinal Chlarausouti became pope he made Consalvi, whom he knew and appreciated, a cardinal deacon, with the title of Santa Marin ad Mar tyres, In August 1800, and appointed him at the same time his secretary of state, or first minister.
In 1801 Consalvi repaired to Paris. and conclude 1 the concordat with the first couaul, Bonaparte. his pleceing tuaoners and liberal opinions procured bun marked attention duriug hie stay in the French capital. In 1806, when Bonaparte began to quarrel with the pope, he insisted upon Consalvi being removed from his office, under the pre. Mince that he was ill affected towards him, which meaut it: reality that he defended the internists and rights of his own sovereign. Consalvi himself urged the pope to accept Ida resignation for the sake of pewee. Pius at last unwillingly received It, and appointed Cardinal Casoui his successor. Con.alvt mutilated at Rome ourbig the following years until the abdication of the pope in 1609. After that event he was celled from Rome with the other codinals, but some time afterwards he was allowed to join the pope at Fontainebleau. On the release of the pope, and his return to Rome in 1814, Cardinal Consalvi was rein stated In his office of secretary of state, and continued the presiding minister of the court of Rome till the death of Hu., 20th of August 1823. Consalvi did not lung survive hit master and friend, to whom he bad been faithfully attached through all the vicissitudes of a long and stormy pontificate, and between whom and him there was both sympathy of mind and mutual confidence. (Pius VII.] Cardinal
Couaalvl died at Rome, January 21, 1821. Ha was buried ie the church .San Marcella), where a monument was raised to hint by the sculptor lanai& An excellent full.length likeness of hint by Sir Thomas Lawrence is lo the royal gallery at Windsor.
Co:waives a 'ministration of the papal state forma an eeoch in the history of modern Home. lie abolished numerous and old customs which were no longer in accordance with the state of society. He was favourable to rational change. lly the Motu Proprio of 1816 all feudal tales, monopolies, and excluelve right., were suppressed. Torture and the punishment of the oorda, or estrapale, the use of which had long disgraces' the most frequented street of Rome, were likewise abolished, as well as the punishment of death for the indefinite and undefinable offence of heresy. A new civil coda, a commercial code, and a penal code, were ordered to be framed. The maintenance of the registry of mortgages (introduced by the French), abetter system of police, and tho estsblishment of workhouse. for tho poor in the principal towns, are among the results of Consalvi's administration. lie also took strong measures to extirpate the banditti from the Campagna, end In one instance, July 1819, he ordered the town of Smola°. one of their notorious haunts, to be razed to the ground. New conoordata were entered into with France, Naples, Bavaria, and other Oermao states.
(Compendio Iatorico ail Pio VII., 51ilsno, 1324 ; Rive* deyl' Italiani riventi, art. Consalvi; and Toornou, Etudes Stotistiques sue Rome.)