Editing Pope Leo XII (section)

==Biography==
===Family===
Della Genga was born in 1760 at the Castello della Genga in the territory of [[Fabriano]]<ref name=Toke>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09167a.htm Toke, Leslie. "Pope Leo XII." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 9. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 28 Aug. 2014]</ref> to an old noble family from [[Genga, Italy|Genga]], a small town in the [[March of Ancona]], part of the [[Papal States]]. He was the sixth of ten children born to Count Ilario della Genga and Maria Luisa Periberti di Fabriano,{{sfn|Boutry|2002|p=929}} and he was the uncle of [[Gabriele della Genga Sermattei]], who in the 19th century was the only [[cardinal-nephew|nephew]] of a pope to be elevated to cardinal.

===Education and ordination===
Della Genga studied theology at the Collegio Campana in [[Osimo]] from 1773 to 1778 and later at the Collegio Piceno in [[Rome]] until 1783 when he commenced studies at the [[Pontifical Academy of Ecclesiastical Nobles]]. He later received the [[subdiaconate]] in 1782 and then the [[diaconate]] and was ordained to the [[priesthood]] on 14 June 1783;<ref>[https://www.omiworld.org/lemma/leo-xii-pope-1823-1829/ Yvon Beaudoin, o.m.i., Yvon. "Leo XII, Pope from 1823 to 1829", ''OMI World'']</ref> he received the latter two from Cardinal [[Marcantonio Colonna (18th-century cardinal)|Marcantonio Colonna]].

===Papal nuncio and episcopate===
In 1790 the attractive and articulate della Genga attracted favourable attention by a tactful oration commemorative of the late [[Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor]].<ref name=EB1911/> In 1794 [[Pope Pius VI]] made him a canon of [[Saint Peter's Basilica]],<ref name=Toke/> and in 1793 created him Titular [[Archbishop of Tyre]]. He was consecrated in Rome in 1794 after the appointment and was despatched to [[Lucerne]] as the [[Apostolic Nunciature to Switzerland|Apostolic Nuncio to Switzerland]]. In 1794 he was transferred to the [[Apostolic Nunciature to Cologne]], but owing to the [[War of the First Coalition|war]] had to make his residence in [[Augsburg]].<ref name=EB1911/> At this time, he believed it would be his last post and organized the construction of tombs for his mother and for himself.

During the dozen or more years he spent in Germany he was entrusted with several honourable and difficult missions, which brought him into contact with the courts of [[Electorate of Saxony|Dresden]], [[Habsburg monarchy|Vienna]], [[Electorate of Bavaria|Munich]] and [[Duchy of Württemberg|Stuttgart]], as well as with [[Napoleon]]. It is charged, however, that during this period his finances were disordered, and his private life was not above suspicion.<ref name=EB1911/>

After the Napoleonic abolition of the [[Papal States|States of the Church]] (1798), he lived for some years at [[Santa Maria in Monticelli, Rome|Monticelli Abbey]], solacing himself with music and with bird-shooting, pastimes which he continued even after his election as Pope.<ref name=EB1911/>

===Cardinal===
[[File:Grand Gala Berlin.jpg|thumb|right|380px|"The Grand Gala Berlin", a luxury carriage constructed in Rome during the first half of the nineteenth century, is an order of the States of the Church during the reign of two pontiffs: Leo XII, in the years 1824–1826, and [[Gregory XVI]], who requested some important modifications. The carriage was used for five solemn festive occasions in the year.]]
In 1814 della Genga was chosen to carry [[Pope Pius VII]]'s congratulations to [[Louis XVIII of France]] upon his restoration.

On 8 March 1816 he was created Cardinal-Priest of [[Santa Maria in Trastevere]] and he received his red [[zucchetto]] on 11 March and his titular church on 29 April 1816. Later he was appointed as the Archpriest of the [[Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore]], and appointed to the [[episcopal see of Sinigaglia]], which he resigned in 1818<ref name=EB1911/> for health reasons. He resigned without ever having entered his diocese.<ref name=Toke/>

On 9 May 1820, [[Pope Pius VII]] gave him the distinguished post of [[Cardinal Vicar|Vicar-General of His Holiness for the Diocese of Rome]].<ref name=Miranda>{{Cite web |url=http://www2.fiu.edu/~mirandas/bios1816.htm#Genga |title=Miranda, Salvador. "Della Genga, Annibale", ''The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church'' |access-date=29 August 2014 |archive-date=9 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141209095343/http://www2.fiu.edu/~mirandas/bios1816.htm#Genga |url-status=dead }}</ref>