Ludovico, Count di Belgiojoso
| Ludovico Count of Belgiojoso Ludwig Karl Maria Graf von Belgiojoso |
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| Ludovico Luigi Carlo Maria di Barbiano di Belgiojoso | |
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Authorized minister in the Austrian Netherlands (plenipotentiary of the Austrian Netherlands) |
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In office 1783–1787 |
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| Preceded by | Georg Adam, Prince of Starhemberg |
| Succeeded by | Joseph, Count Murray (ad interim) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 January 1728 |
| Died | 15 May 1801 |
Ludovico Luigi Carlo Maria di Barbiano di Belgiojoso or Ludwig Karl Maria von Barbiano Graf von Belgiojoso (2 January 1728 – 15 May 1801, Milan) was an Austrian diplomat and Lieutenant Field Marshal who served the Habsburg Monarchy in the second half of the 18th century.
Ludovico di Belgiojoso was born in Belgioioso as the second son of Count Don Antonio Barbiano di Belgioioso (1693–1779) and his wife Barbara Luigia Elisabetta D'Adda, contessa di Bronno (1707-1769). The medieval castle of Belgioioso, a town located just south of Milan, had been the seat of the Belgiojoso family for centuries. Belgioioso was part of the Duchy of Milan which itself formed a part of the Holy Roman Empire at that time.
Ludovico's father Count Antonio had served the Habsburg empress Maria Theresa throughout his career as Imperial ambassador and since 1748 as Imperial Personal Councillor. He was made a Knight in the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1763 and was elevated from Count (Graf) to 'Prince of the Empire and of Belgioioso' (Reichsfürst von Belgiojoso in German, Principe del Sacro Romano Impero e di Belgioioso in Italian) in Vienna on 5 August 1769. The elevation included the right to mint coins bearing the effigy of the prince.
His son Ludovico was created a Knight of Malta at the age of seven in 1735.
Following in the footsteps of his father Ludovico then started a successful career in the service of the Emperor becoming at first an Imperial Chamberlain. In 1757 he was appointed captain of the Imperial army. From 1764 until 1769 he served as Habsburg's ambassador to Sweden. Empress Maria Theresia was satisfied with his performance to such an extent that in 1769 she gave him the important position of the Emperor's special envoy and plenipotentiary at the Court of St James's in London. In the following years he also accompanied Maria Theresia's son Joseph on his journeys to a number of European courts and cities. On 3 May 1781, Belgiojoso was admitted a Fellow of the Royal Society. He stayed in London until 1782.
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