Editing Pope Clement XII (section)

== Career ==
[[File:Papa Clemente XII.jpg|thumb|left|Cardinal Lorenzo Corsini, by [[Francesco Trevisani]].]]

Corsini practised law under the able direction of his uncle, Cardinal [[Neri Corsini (1614-1678)|Neri Corsini]]. After the death of his uncle and his father, in 1685, Corsini, now thirty-three, would have become head of the Corsini. Instead, he renounced his right of [[primogeniture]] and from [[Pope Innocent XI]] (1676–1689) he purchased, according to the custom of the time, for 30,000 [[Italian scudo|scudi]], a position of prelatial rank and devoted his wealth and leisure to the enlargement of the library bequeathed to him by his uncle.<ref name=Loughlin/> Corsini's home on the [[Piazza Navona]] was the centre of Rome's scholarly and artistic life.<ref name=artifacts>"[http://www.papalartifacts.com/collection/pope-clement-xii/ Pope Clement XII]", ''Papal Artifacts''</ref>

In 1690 he was made [[Titular bishop|titular Archbishop]] of [[Nicomedia]] and chosen [[Apostolic Nunciature to Austria|nuncio to Vienna]], receiving a dispensation from [[Pope Alexander VIII]] since he had not yet been ordained a priest. He did not proceed to the imperial court,<ref name=Loughlin/> because [[Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor|Leopold I]], the [[Holy Roman Emperor]], maintained that he had the right to select the nuncio from a list of three names furnished by the pope.<ref name=artifacts/>

In 1696, Corsini was appointed treasurer-general and governor of the [[Castel Sant'Angelo]]. His good fortune increased during the pontificate of [[Pope Clement XI]] (1700–1721),<ref name=Loughlin/> who employed his talents as a courtier and named him [[Cardinal-Priest]] of ''[[Santa Susanna]]'' on 17 May 1706, retaining his services as papal treasurer.<ref name=Loughlin/>

He advanced still further under [[Pope Benedict XIII]] (1724–1730), who made him Prefect of the [[Apostolic Signatura]], a judicial branch of the [[Roman Curia]]. He was successively appointed as the Cardinal-Priest of [[San Pietro in Vincoli]] and Cardinal-[[Roman Catholic Suburbicarian Diocese of Frascati|Bishop of Frascati]].<ref name=Loughlin/>