Editing Pope Leo XII (section)

===Papal election===
{{Main|Papal conclave, 1823}}
Pope Pius VII died in 1823 after yet another long pontificate that spanned over two decades. In the conclave of 1823, della Genga was the candidate of the [[zelanti]] faction and in spite of the active opposition of [[Kingdom of France|France]], he was elected as the new pope by the cardinals on 28 September 1823, taking the name of Leo XII.<ref name=EB1911/>

His election had been facilitated because he was thought to be close to death, but he unexpectedly rallied.<ref name=EB1911/> He had even remarked about his own health to the cardinals, saying that they would be electing "a dead man".<ref name=Miranda/> It was said in the conclave that he lifted his robes to show the cardinals a pair of swollen and ulcerated legs to deter them, but that made them even more eager to elect him.<ref name="Pickle Publishing">{{cite web|url=http://www.pickle-publishing.com/papers/triple-crown-leo-xii.htm|title=Pope Leo XII: Proceedings of the Conclave that led to his election.|publisher=Pickle Publishing|access-date=9 February 2015}}</ref> Before the conclave opened, the [[Kingdom of the Two Sicilies]] indicated that it objected to five candidates in the election which included della Genga. While della Genga did not receive a single vote in the first and second ballots, he received seven in the third and then four in the fifth. While it seemed that Cardinal Antonio Gabriele Severoli would prevail on 21 September since he had just below the needed amount, Cardinal [[Giuseppe Albani]] interposed the [[Jus exclusivae|veto]] on the behalf of the [[Austrian Empire]] against Severoli. While it was later indicated that the French court would not be amenable to the election of della Genga, Severoli's voting bloc decided to cast their votes for della Genga, seeing him receive 34 votes to become pope.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.csun.edu/~hcfll004/SV1823.html|title=Sede Vacante 1823|publisher=|author=John Paul Adams|date=5 September 2015|accessdate=20 February 2022}}</ref>

Leo XII was 63 at the time of his election and frequently fell victim to infirmities. He was tall and thin with an ascetic look and a melancholic countenance.  At this time [[Vincent Strambi]] served as bishop for the remainder of the pontificate of [[Pope Pius VII]] before his successor Pope Leo XII accepted Strambi's resignation and summoned him to [[Rome]] as his advisor. But the sudden illness of the pope – which seemed to prove fatal – prompted Strambi to offer his own life to [[God]] so that the pope could live. Leo XII rallied to great surprise but Strambi died of a [[stroke]] within the week.<ref name=SEB>{{cite web|url=http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/36000|title=Saint Vincenzo Strambi|publisher=Santi e Beati|access-date=31 August 2017}}</ref>

So Leo XII fell ill after his coronation but after his recovery, he showed surprising endurance in carrying out his work. Leo XII devoted himself to his work and was simple in his mode of life. He had a passion for shooting birds and was rumored to have killed a peasant with whom he argued about sporting rights.<ref name="Pickle Publishing"/>

The cardinal [[protodeacon]] [[Fabrizio Ruffo]] [[Papal coronation|crowned]] him as pontiff on 5 October 1823.