The Albani were an aristocratic Roman family from the 16th to the 19th century. They were of Albanian origin and moved from northern Albania to Italy in the late 15th century. The Albani produced many high ranking figures of the Catholic Church, including Pope Clement XI. Their patrilineal heirs died out in 1852 and their estates were inherited via matrilineal descent by the Chigi, another aristocratic family of central Italy, hence known as the Chigi-Albani. Origin The original name of the Albani was Lazzi (Laçi) which they changed to Albani in memory of their origin. Francesco Albani (Clement XI) funded an expedition in Albania to locate the exact settlement of his family's origins. In the final report, the two most probable locations which were presented to him were Laç near Lezhë and Laç near Kukës, both in northern Albania. The Albani family originated from Albania by two brothers, George and Fillip. After serving in the Albanian–Venetian War in the 15th century, they sought refuge in Italy, where they settled in Urbino and adapted the new surname "Albani". After a short while, they rose to high status and were trusted in many inner circles within the church and the government. One of the first and most prominent members of the family, Gian Girolamo Albani, started the family on the path to government affiliation. Many members of the family took after him and pursued government and church leadership. Influence Back in 16th century Italy, the Albani Family were very influential, and in some ways, they still are. Many of the male family members reached out for positions in government and the church. With allegiance to their God and their country being so important to everyone in that era, the Albani family name gained a lot of respect and influence over the course of the years in many different fields. Religious Back in the Age of the Enlightenment in Italy, religion was everything. Every one followed the church and looked to the leaders of the church for guidance. The church held a lot of power back then, and there were many members of the family who held high positions in the Catholic Church. Political Though many of the family members held positions with the church, there were also a few that held government jobs. Many of them were cardinals or diplomats in their time, whilst some others dealt in the armed forces. One