Filippo Maria Visconti
Accordingly, at the death of Archbishop Giuseppe Pozzobonelli, Joseph II decided to break with the century-old tradition and to choose directly the new archbishop. On 1 September 1783 he appointed as new Archbishop of Milan the temporary administrator of the diocese, Filippo Maria Visconti. The pope initially rejected such dictation, but unable to assert his authority, on 25 June 1784 formally appointed Visconti. Visconti was consecrated bishop on 27 June 1784 in Rome by the hands of Cardinal Antonio Eugenio Visconti, and when in Milan he swore allegiance to Joseph II. Filippo Maria Visconti was never created Cardinal.