Editing Pope Clement XI (section)

==Biography==
===Early life===
Giovanni Francesco Albani was born in 1649 in [[Urbino]] to the [[Albani family]], a distinguished family of [[Albanians|Albanian]] origin in central Italy.<ref name="Frazee167168"/><ref name="Martucci154"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/09/21/fr_lombardi_papal_journey_a_blessing_for_all_albanians/1107019 |title=Fr Lombardi: Papal journey a blessing for all Albanians |last=Bordoni |first=Linda |quote=...a silver portrait of Pope Clement XI – who belonged to the Albani family, so was traditionally of Albanian origin. |date=21 September 2014 |work=Vatican Radio |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924004740/https://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/09/21/fr_lombardi_papal_journey_a_blessing_for_all_albanians/1107019 |archive-date=24 September 2014 }}</ref> His mother Elena Mosca (1630–1698) was a high-standing Italian of [[Bergamo|bergamasque]] origin, descended from the noble Mosca family of [[Pesaro]]. His father Carlo Albani (1623–1684) was a patrician. His mother descended in part from the Staccoli family, who were patricians of [[Urbino]], in part from the Giordani, who were nobles of Pesaro.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Catholic Encyclopedia |last=Shahan |first=Thomas J. |chapter=Albani |year=1913 |publisher=Robert Appleton Company |location=New York Public Library |page=255 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_FmgQAAAAIAAJ/page/n292 |access-date=5 December 2010}}</ref><ref name="Williams116">{{cite book|last=Williams|first=George L.|title=Papal Genealogy: The Families and Descendants of the Popes|year=2004|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0786420711|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-mq7ctwMNdoC&pg=PA116 |page=116}}</ref> The original name of the Albani was Lazzi (Laçi) which they changed to ''Albani'' in memory of their origin. Francesco Albani funded an expedition in Albania to locate the exact settlement of his family's origins. In the final report, the two most probable locations which were presented to him were [[Laç]] near Lezhë and Laç near Kukës, both in northern Albania.{{sfn|Brunga|2021|p=134}}

Albani was educated at the [[Collegio Romano]] in [[Rome]] from 1660 onwards. He became a very proficient Latinist and gained a doctorate in both canon and civil law. He was one of those who frequented the academy of [[Queen Christina of Sweden]].  He would serve as a [[Prelate of Honour of His Holiness|papal prelate]] under [[Pope Alexander VIII]] and was appointed by [[Pope Innocent XII]] as the [[Referendary]] of the [[Apostolic Signatura]]. Throughout this time, he also served as the governor of [[Rieti]], [[Sabina (region)|Sabina]] and [[Orvieto]].

===Cardinalate===
[[File:ALBANI GIOVANFRANCESCO.jpg|thumb|upright|Portrait of Cardinal Albani, {{circa|1690}}]]
[[Pope Alexander VIII]] elevated him to the cardinalate in 1690 despite his protests and made him the Cardinal-Deacon of [[Santa Maria in Aquiro]] but he later opted for the ''Diaconia'' of [[Sant'Adriano al Foro]] and later, as the Cardinal-Priest, for the ''titulus'' of [[San Silvestro in Capite]]. He was then ordained to the priesthood in September 1700 and celebrated his first Mass in Rome on 6 October 1700.