Leopoldo de Gregorio

Leopoldo de Gregorio, 1st Marquess of Esquilache, OWE (Messina, 23 December 1699 – Venice, 15 September 1785), known in Spanish as Marqués de Esquilache and in Italian as Marchese di Squillace, was a Sicilian-born Spanish statesman who was Minister of Finance of Spain between 1759 and 1766.

Biography Born in Messina, he was the son of Francesco Maria de Gregorio and his wife Maria Orsola Masnada. De Gregorio was one of Enlightenment Spain's leading statesmen from the arrival of Charles III to the Marquis's death in 1785. His ability as a military supplier for the Neapolitan army impressed the king and raised him to royal prominence. He was created "Marquess of Squillace" in 1755.

His attempt to modernize the apparel of the average Spaniard resulted in the Esquilache Riots and in his dismissal. Charles was forced to make Esquilache ambassador to Venice. It was a move that both Charles and Esquilache lamented. Esquilache felt that his measures in Spain had deserved a statue, and would comment that he had cleaned and paved the city streets and had created boulevards, and had nevertheless been dismissed.

He died in Venice.