Page "Pope Pius VI" Paragraph 2

The earlier acts of Pius VI gave fair promise of liberal rule and reform in the corrupt administration of the Papal States.

Though usually benevolent, Pius VI sometimes showed discrimination.

He made his uncle Giovanni Carlo Bandi, Bishop of Imola in 1752, and a member of the curia, cardinal in the consistory on 29 May 1775, but did not proffer any other members of his family.

He reprimanded prince Potenziani, the governor of Rome, for failing to adequately deal with corruption in the city, appointed a council of cardinals to remedy the state of the finances and relieve the pressure of imposts, called to account Nicolò Bischi for the spending of funds intended for the purchase of grain, reduced the annual disbursements by denying pensions to many prominent people, and adopted a reward system to encourage agriculture.