About Lorenzo de Tonti
Lived 1602 – 1684 (aged 81–82). Lorenzo de Tonti was a banker.
Lorenzo de Tonti (c. 1602c. 1684) was a governor of Gaeta, Italy and a Neapolitan banker. He is sometimes credited with the invention of the tontine, a form of pension, although it has also been suggested that he simply modified existing procedures.
Around 1650, his wife, Isabelle di Lietto, gave birth to their first son, the future explorer Henri de Tonti. Shortly afterwards, Tonti was involved in a revolt against a Spanish viceroy in Naples and had to seek political asylum in France. Their second son, Alphonse de Tonty, was born in Paris and later helped establish Detroit, Michigan.
For reasons unknown, Louis XIV had him imprisoned in the Bastille from 1668 to 1675. Around 1684, he died in obscurity of unknown causes.
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Important facts
People in Lorenzo de Tonti's life
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Lorenzo de Tonti?
Italian banker
When was Lorenzo de Tonti born?
Lorenzo de Tonti was born in 1602 in Naples.
When did Lorenzo de Tonti die?
Lorenzo de Tonti died in 1684.
What was Lorenzo de Tonti's occupation?
Lorenzo de Tonti was a banker.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Lorenzo de Tonti. https://biography.guide/lorenzo-de-tonti/
MLA: "Lorenzo de Tonti." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/lorenzo-de-tonti/.
Chicago: "Lorenzo de Tonti." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/lorenzo-de-tonti/.
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