He was born in
Florence and was ordained in 1699. He entered papal service in the following year and held several offices both in
Roman Curia and in the papal territorial administration. He was
Inquisitor of
Malta from 1711 until 1716. He was consecrated
titular archbishop of
Rodi at the end of 1730. He served as
apostolic nuncio in France 1731–1738.
Pope Clement XII created him
Cardinal on 20 December 1737 but did not publish it before the following June. In the same year he became
archbishop of Ferrara, an office he held until 1740; he was then legate in that city. He became
bishop of Sabina (10 April 1747), then
bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina (9 April 1753). He became
Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals at the death of
Pietro Luigi Carafa on 15 December 1755, and as such he was transferred to the
see of Ostia e Velletri (proper of the Dean) on 12 January 1756. He presided over the
Papal conclave, 1758. In spite of his advanced age, he received several votes during its celebration. He died in
Rome and is buried in his titular church of
Santa Sabina. ==References==