Leonardo VII Tocco was born at
Montemiletto on 1 January 1698, the eldest son of
Carlo Antonio Tocco, Prince of Montemiletto and titular Prince of Achaea, and the Italian noblewoman Livia Sanseverino. Upon his father's death on 31 January 1701, Leonardo inherited his titles. Leonardo served the
papacy and the
Holy Roman Empire in high positions. On 20 October 1720, at the age of 22, Leonardo was made captain of a cavalry regiment of the papal guard. On 24 December 1724, just four years later, he was promoted to captain of all the cavalrymen. In the Holy Roman Empire, Emperor
Charles VI (1711–1740) made Leonardo the Imperial Counsellor of State on 6 October 1725. Leonardo also achieved various honors in the
Kingdom of Naples. On 23 April 1732, he was made
field marshal and
vicar general of the , one of the kingdom's administrative divisions. On 14 July 1734,
Charles VII of Naples made Leonardo a
gentleman of the chamber. On 6 July 1738, Leonardo was made a knight of the
Order of Saint Januarius, an order founded that year by Charles VII. On 16 January 1724, Leonardo married Camilla Cantelmo Stuart (or Stuard), princess of Pettora and duchess of
Popoli. Her family, the prominent Cantelmo Stuarts, claimed descent from, and kinship with, the Scottish and English royal
House of Stuart. Following his marriage, Leonardo used the full name 'Leonardo di Tocco Cantelmo Stuart', also used by the couple's descendants. Leonardo died in
Naples on 31 March 1776. == Family ==