Giacomo Luigi Brignole

Brignole was born on 8 May 1797 in Genoa, then the capital of the Republic of Genoa.

He was educated at local institutions in Genoa where he studied humanities and then at the La Sapienza University in Rome where he received a doctorate in utroque iuris (both civil and canon law) in 1835. After being ordained as a priest he was appointed Vice-legate in Ferrara and later Vicar of the patriarchal Lateran Basilica in Rome.

He was elected titular archbishop of Nazianzo in and was consecrated in 1830, Rome, by Cardinal Giacomo Filippo Franzoni and was appointed Treasurer General of the Apostolic Chamber in 1833.[1]

Brignole was elevated to cardinal-priest in 1834 and was appointed President of the Commission of Subsidies in 1840.

He participated in the Papal Conclave of 1846 which elected Pope Pius IX.[2]

He also held the positions of Prefect of the Sacred Consulta of the Index and President of the Consulta of State. In 1851 he was appointed Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals, a position he held, as was convention at the time, for a year until 1852.

Brignole died on 23 June 1853 in Rome. His body was exposed in the basilica of San Lorenzo in Damaso. Pope Pius IX participated in his funeral and he was finally buried, according to his will, in the church of St Cecilia.