Giuseppe Archinto was born in
Milan on 9 April 1651 (or on 7 May according to other sources). He studied under the
Jesuits in the College of
Brera in Milan. In 1665 he entered in the
Pontifical Roman Seminary in Rome. Later he studied for two years in
University of Ingolstadt in Germany. He lived also one year in
Vienna and took the opportunity to visit also Hungary, Denmark, France, England and Spain. Returned in Italy, he earned a
doctorate in utroque iure at the
University of Pavia on 14 September 1675 and became a lawyer. In this period he moved to Rome where he entered in the administration of the
Papal States: in 1679 he became
protonotary apostolic, and in 1683 he became
referendary of the Tribunals of the
Apostolic Signature. From 1679 to 1683 he served as Vice-
legate of
Bologna. During this service in one occasion he escaped from Bologna alarmed by the heavy expenses he had to bear: however
Pope Innocent XI not only forgave him, but appointed him
titular archbishop of Thessalonica on 18 March 1686. His episcopal consecration was conferred in Rome on 31 March 1686 by Cardinal
Flavio Chigi. Following his appointment as titular bishop, in April 1686 he was appointed
Apostolic Nuncio to the
Grand Duchy of Tuscany where he served up December 1689. Then he was moved to the
nunciature to the
Republic of Venice where he remained up to January 1696. From Venice he was sent as Nuncio to the
Kingdom of Spain where he remained until August 1700. In Spain he suggested to
Charles II of Spain to appoint as successor
Philip, Duke of Anjou of the French
House of Bourbon. ==Archbishop of Milan==