Gentleman of ancient Reggio nobility, after a short military career he joined a Carbonara organization: for this he was sentenced to death in 1822, but managed to escape into exile and became one of Mazzini's closest friends and collaborators. Antimonarchist, a staunch supporter of associations, democracy and the right to education and to vote, he is active in politics and in the dissemination of Mazzinian ideas. He died in Lugano in 1568.