Despuig (Y Daneto), Don Antonio

Despuig (Y Daneto), Don Antonio a Spanish prelate, was born at Palma, on the island of Majorca, March 31, 1745, of a family allied to the ancient kings of Aragon. At the end of his studies he was provided with a caneonicate, and appointed to travel in France, Germany, Holland, and England, to acquaint himself with the different cities where the general councils of the East had been held. He remained for a time at Rome in 1778, then visited Calabria, Sicily, Malta, Venice, and came back to Rome in 1785, with the title of an auditor of the rota for the kingdom of Aragon. Having been appointed bishop of Orihuela by Charles IV in 1791, he was transferred, in 1795, to the archbishopric of Valencia, and in 1796 to Seville. He afterwards fell into political complications abroad, but, returning to Spain in 1798, was made councillor of state, resigning the archbishopric of Seville and receiving in exchange several rich benefices. He took part in the Conclave of Venice in 1800, and was made cardinal by Pius VII. He also shared the captivity of that pontiff in France from 1809 to 1812, and died at the baths of Lucca, May 30, 1813. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.