ague ▁him ▁his ▁entire ▁life . ▁He ▁entered ▁the ▁Society ▁of ▁Jesus ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 5 ▁on ▁ 8 ▁May ▁ 1 7 5 3 ▁in ▁Tar rag ona , ▁despite ▁his ▁family ' s ▁opposition . ▁On ▁comple ting ▁his ▁the ological ▁studies ▁he ▁was ▁ord ained ▁a ▁priest , ▁and ▁assigned ▁to ▁teach ▁at ▁the ▁College ▁of ▁Zar ago za . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 7 6 6 ▁the ▁Governor ▁of ▁Zar ago za ▁was ▁held ▁responsible ▁for ▁a ▁threatened ▁fam ine , ▁and ▁so ▁en rag ed ▁was ▁the ▁popul ace ▁against ▁him ▁that ▁they ▁were ▁about ▁to ▁destroy ▁his ▁palace ▁by ▁fire . ▁P ign at elli ' s ▁persu as ive ▁power ▁over ▁the ▁people ▁a vert ed ▁the ▁cal am ity . ▁Despite ▁the ▁letter ▁of ▁thanks ▁sent ▁by ▁King ▁Charles ▁III ▁of ▁Spain , ▁the ▁Jes uits ▁were ▁accused ▁of ▁inst ig ating ▁the ▁above - ment ioned ▁ri ot . ▁P ign at elli ' s ▁ref ut ation ▁of ▁the ▁charge ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁dec ree ▁of ▁exp ulsion ▁of ▁the ▁Jes uits ▁of ▁Zar ago za ▁on ▁ 4 ▁April ▁ 1 7 6 7 . ▁ ▁The ▁Count ▁of ▁Ar anda , ▁a ▁favorite ▁of ▁the ▁king ▁and ▁a ▁supp orter ▁of ▁the ▁exp ulsion ▁of ▁the ▁Jes uits ▁from ▁Spain , ▁offered ▁to ▁allow ▁ ▁P ign at elli ▁and ▁his ▁brother , ▁Nicol ás ▁( also ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Society ), ▁as ▁members ▁of ▁the