This biography tells the story of one of the most significant figures in the history of the Catholic Church. Drawing on a range of sources including contemporary accounts and Pius VII's own writings, the book explores his life and legacy, from his humble beginnings to his role in negotiating with Napoleon and his efforts to rebuild the Church after years of turmoil. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.