Gian Luca, conte Pallavicini Centurione

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Gian Luca Pallavicini-Centurion (Genoa, 1697 - Bologna, 1773) was a Genoese nobleman and diplomat in the service of the Austrian Empire as Governor of Milan.

Biography

Gian Luca Pallavicini was a member of a noble family from Genoa who had repeatedly held positions in the institutions in the Republic of Genoa and was repeatedly risen to the position doge.

He joined the Austrian diplomatic circles, 22 December 1744 was appointed Minister for England under the reign of Maria Theresa of Austria, March 9, 1745 from being appointed Minister Plenipotentiary and the Commander General of the Austrian forces in Milan, taking possession of its Milan office by June 16 of that year. This is the time when appointing his secretary Luigi Giusti.

This appointment was necessary because on December 16 of that same 1745, Philip of Bourbon had entered Milan and proclaimed himself King of England had almost managed to conquer the Austrians from the dominion of Milan, Pallavicini forcing the governor to take refuge in the fortress of Mantua , where Maria Teresa gave him provisions for the creation of a new emergency government until the order was not restored in Milan. The Pallavicini was able to return to Milan just 25 August 1746.

After these actions, the government took the decision to place a man of most wrist to the government of an area as delicate as was that of Milan, and the choice therefore fell on Ferdinand von Bonaventura Harrach, who, however, remained in office only until 1750, when Gian Luca Pallavicini was recalled to his post.

The return of Pallavicini, which seem was triumphant because he was shown mercy on the one hand and the other the imperial household how easy it was to lose its power for a small tactical error. Starting from 1749, in an attempt to grip the Milanese population, organized concerts, with the collaboration of the Milanese musician and composer Giovanni Battista Sammartini. With this renewed confidence, September 26, 1750, Gian Luca Pallavicini was appointed Governor of Milan, and continued to impress with others found in good taste as that of 6 October of that year when, during the celebrations of his election, he did get for the first time a rhino that was shown live to the delight of the population in the Piazza dei Mercanti, Milan.

On September 22, 1753, Gian Luca Pallavicini left his office in Milan and returned to the court of Vienna and the gubernatorial office will direct a short time later in the hands of the Archduke Leopold.

In the last years of his life he retired in the Certosa di Bologna, where he died in 1773 and where today a monument dedicated to him, makes its presence in the city.