Berlinghiero Gessi

Berlinghiero Gessi (28 October 1563 – 6 April 1639) was an Italian Catholic Cardinal.

Gessi was born in Bologna on 28 October 1563, the son of Giulio Cesare Gessi, doctor of philosophy and medicine, and Valeria Segni. He was a relative of Pope Gregory XIII. He was educated at the University of Bologna where he graduated in 1583 (at age 20) with a doctorate in utroque iure. Thereafter he went to Rome to assist his uncle who was auditor of the Sacred Roman Rota and to practice law. He returned to Bologna in 1589 to take up a position as professor of law at his alma mater.

In 1590, Gessi went to Rome to become vicar-general in support of another uncle, the then-bishop of Rieti. He subsequently served as vicar-general of Benevento, vicar-general of his native Bologna in 1591 and then provost of the cathedral chapter of that same city the following year.

In 1594 he returned to Rome and was named referendary of the Tribunals of the Apostolic Signature of Justice and of Grace and a secretary of the Sacred Consulta. In 1599 he was named civil lieutenant to Cardinal Girolamo Rusticucci, the vicar-general of Rome and Vice-regent of Rome from 1600 to 1607.

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