Editing Pope Innocent XI (section)

==Early life==
[[File:Geburtshaus Innozenz XI.jpg|thumb|left|155px|The birthplace of Pope Innocent XI at Como]]
Benedetto Odescalchi was born in [[Como]] on 16 May 1611, the son of a nobleman of Como, Livio Odescalchi, who died in 1626, and his wife Paola Castelli-Giovanelli from [[Gandino]], who died of the plague in 1630. The child's siblings were Carlo Odescalchi (1609 - 1673), married to Beatrice Cusani of the Marquesses of Chignolo (parents of Giovanna Odescalchi (1651 - 14 July 1679), married in [[Milan]] on 27 May 1677 as his first wife to [[:it:Carlo Borromeo Arese|Carlo Borromeo-Arese]], 6th Marquess of Angera, 11th Count of Arona, with issue), Lucrezia Odescalchi (9 October 1605 - ?), married on 4 February 1621 to Alessandro Erba (6 November 1599 - 31 August 1670), son of Gerolamo Erba and wife Vittoria Olgiati, ancestors of the [[Erba-Odescalchi]], [[Giulio Maria Odescalchi]], Costantino Odescalchi, Nicola Odescalchi and Paolo Odescalchi. He also had several collateral descendants of note through his sister: her grandson Cardinal [[Benedetto Erba Odescalchi]] and Cardinal [[Carlo Odescalchi]] - [[Servant of God]].

The [[Odescalchi]], a family of minor nobility, were determined entrepreneurs. In 1619, Benedetto's brother founded in [[Genoa]] with his three uncles a bank which quickly grew into a successful money-lending business. After completing his studies in grammar and letters, the 15-year-old Benedetto moved to Genoa to take part in the family business as an apprentice. Lucrative economic transactions were established with clients in the major Italian and European cities, such as [[Nuremberg]], [[Milan]], [[Kraków]], and [[Rome]].

In 1626 Benedetto's father died, and he began schooling in the humanities taught by the [[Jesuits]] at his local college, before transferring to Genoa. In 1630 he narrowly survived an [[1629–1631 Italian plague|outbreak of plague]], which killed his mother.

Some time between 1632 and 1636, Benedetto decided to move to Rome and then [[Naples]] in order to study [[Civil law (area)|civil law]]. This led to his securing the offices of [[protonotary apostolic]], president of the [[Apostolic Camera]], commissary of the Marco di Roma, and governor of [[Macerata]]; on 6 March 1645, [[Pope Innocent X]] (1644–55) made him [[Cardinal-Deacon]] with the deaconry of ''[[Santi Cosma e Damiano, Rome|Santi Cosma e Damiano]]''. He subsequently became [[Papal legate|legate]] to [[Ferrara]]. When he was sent to Ferrara in order to assist the people stricken with a severe famine, the Pope introduced him to the people of Ferrara as the "father of the poor".

[[File:Benedetto Odescalchi.jpg|thumb|left|160px|Cardinal Odescalchi]]
In 1650, Odescalchi became [[bishop of Novara]], in which capacity he spent all the revenues of his [[episcopal see|see]] to relieve the poor and sick in his [[diocese]]. He participated in the [[Papal conclave, 1655|1655 conclave]]. In 1656, with the pope's permission, he resigned as bishop of Novara in favor of his brother Giulio and moved to Rome. While there he took a prominent part in the consultations of the various congregations of which he was a member.<ref name=kelly287>Kelly, 287</ref> He participated in the [[1669–1670 papal conclave|1669–70 conclave]].