Jerónimo Grimaldi, 1st Duke of Grimaldi

Jerónimo Grimaldi

Pablo Jerónimo Grimaldi y Pallavicini, marqués y duque de Grimaldi (Genoa, c. 1720 – October 30, 1789) was an Italian-Spanish diplomat and politician. After extensive experience as an Ambassador, Grimaldi served as Chief Minister of Spain between 1763 and 1778 helping to rebuild Spanish power following its defeat during the Seven Years' War.

In the service of Spanish Kings Ferdinand VI and Charles III, Grimaldi was minister plenipotenciary in Sweden and Parma, and ambassador to the States-General of the United Provinces. Charles III named him ambassador to Paris, where together with French Secretary of State Étienne François, duc de Choiseul he negotiated the third Family Compact between France and Spain. This provoked the entry of Spain into the war with Britain. He also signed the Peace of Paris in 1763.

In September 1763, after the dismissal of Ricardo Wall he was named Spanish Minister of State, a position he held until 1776. He was a reformer, a member of the group known as golillas. Together with the Leopoldo de Gregorio, Marquis of Esquilache he helped suppress the 1766 riots provoked by Esquilache's reforms. (His house was sacked during the rioting.) He was a member of the junta that voted for the suppression of the Jesuits in 1767.

In 1776, after various conflicts, particularly the defeat of the 1775 expedition to Algiers, he was removed from office and made ambassador in Rome. He was made grandee of Spain and decorated with the Order of the Golden Fleece , 1765. He was also granted the title of duque de Grimaldi, 8th April 1777, by king Charles III of Spain, a.k.a. former king Charles VII of Naples for his services to the Spanish Crown. The successor in his government positions was also a "golilla", namely, José Moñino, 1st Count of Floridablanca, (Murcia, Spain, October 21, 1728 - Seville, Spain, December 30, 1808).

References

• This article is largely a translation of the Spanish Wikipedia article, accessed November 24, 2006.

Political offices
Preceded by Ricardo Wall	Secretary of State (Chief Minister) 1763–1777	Succeeded by Count of Floridablanca

External links

• (Spanish) Vida de Carlos III, by Fernán-Núñez, in the Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes.
• (Spanish) A short biography at Encarta (Archived 2009-10-31)
• (Spanish) Brief biography