Giovanni Rinaldo Carli was born at
Capo d'Istria in the
Republic of Venice (now
Koper in
Slovenia) on 11 April 1720, the eldest child of Count Rinaldo Carli and Cecilia Imberti. He distinguished himself as a student and young scholar. In 1744, at the age of 24, he was appointed by the
Venetian Senate to the
University of Padua's newly established professorship of
astronomy and
navigation. At the same time, he was entrusted with superintendence over the
Venetian marine. During these years he was part of a major dispute in Italian academia over the existence of
sorcerers, with the vast majority of the academics siding with the
Girolamo Tartarotti against the
Marquis of Maffei and Count Carli's sharp scepticism. He filled his offices ably for seven years before resigning them to study
economics and
history. His works on economics attracted the attention of
Leopold of
Tuscany, afterwards
emperor, who placed him at the head of his economics council and board of public instruction in 1765. In 1769, he became
privy councillor and, in 1771, president of a new council of finances. In his old age, he was relieved of the duties of these offices while continuing to receive their income. During his leisure, he produced works on Italian history and other topics. Count Carli died of illness at
Cusano in
Milan on 22 February 1795. ==Works==