Sforza, Tommaso Riario (1782 – 1857)
Price: $95.00
Description:Italian cardinal; member of the illustrious House of Sforza. The son of Duke Nicola Riario Sforza and Princess Giovanni di Somma. He was the uncle of Sisto Riario Sforza and of cardinals Pietro Riario, Raffaele Riario, Alessandro Riario (all cardinals).
L.S. 1 May 1841 as papal legate in Perugia. Addressed to regional governor. Untranslated Italian but appears to be some manner of testimony or report on Giuseppe Rondolini. Other than generalized light toning and folds, very good to fine.
After serving as an official in the civil administration of the Papal States from 1804 onward, he was made a cardinal deacon in the consistory of March 1823. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1823. In the subsequent years, Sforza received several successive appointments in the financial administration of the Papal States and was Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals and of the Holy Roman Church. During the sede vacante of 1846, both his and the camerlengo’s coat of arms appeared on coins that were issued. By this time Sforza was also cardinal protodeacon, the senior cardinal deacon and, thus, made the announcement of the election of Blessed Pope Pius IX in June 1846.