A Jacobite Gazetteer - Bologna

Palazzo Vizzani Sanguinetti

Palazzo Vizzani Sanguinetti is located in the southeast corner of the city, at Via Santo Stefano, 43 (on the southwest side of the street, at the intersection with Via Castellata). In 1732 the palace was purchased by Cardinal Prospero Lambertini who in 1740 was elected Pope Benedict XIV. It is sometimes called Palazzo Ranuzzi after the family who owned it for most of the nineteenth century. ¹

Facade

Among all the popes, it was Benedict XIV who most actively supported King James III. The members of Benedict XIV's family were also firmly attached to the Stuarts. In December 1784 his great-nephew Prince Giovanni Lambertini welcomed Queen Louise (wife of King Charles III) to this palace. She remained here some five months. Prince Giovanni's wife, Donna Marianna Nobili, was a close friend of Queen Louise. ²

Five years later, Charlotte, Duchess of Albany, stayed in this palace as the guest of the Marchesa Giulia Lambertini-Bovio. Charlotte arrived here October 9, and died here November 17, 1789. ³

Courtyard

Notes

¹ Giancarlo Roversi, Palazzi e Case Nobili del '500 a Bologna: La Storia, le Famiglie, le Opere d'Arte (Bologna: Grafis, 1986), 209-210.

² Herbert M. Vaughan, The Last Stuart Queen: Louise, Countess of Albany, Her Life & Letters (London: Duckworth, 1910), 121-122.

³ Francis John Angus Skeet, The Life and Letters of H.R.H. Charlotte Stuart, Duchess of Albany, Only Child of Charles III, King of Great Britain, Scotland, France and Ireland (London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1932), 142-143. I have not been able to determine the exact identity of this "Marchesa Giulia Lambertini-Bovio". In 1771 a certain Giulia Lambertini married the Marchese Antonio Silvestri Bovio De' Fabi; cf. In occasione dello sposalizio del Marchese Antonio Silvestri Bovio De' Fabi con sua eccellenza la signora Giulia Lambertini (Bologna: Lelio della Volpe, 1771). The sister of Prince Giovanni Lambertini (husband of Donna Marianna Nobili) was named Giulia; but she was married to Marchese Gerolamo Banzi Silvestri, Senator of Bologna; cf. www.sardimpex.com.