The Beginning of the Pontificate of Gregory XVI
 and the Military-Political Crisis in the Apennine Peninsula in 1831

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The article outlines the prospects for the further study of Pope Gregory XVI (Bartolomeo Alberto Capellari) (1831–1846). The paper deals with some judgments about the personality and rule of the pontiff that fit into the framework of the «black legend» about Gregory XVI. The years of 1831–1846 in the history
 of the Holy See remain a poorly studied period in the scientific literature. The article marks seven further areas of study devoted to Pope Gregory XVI that relate to the foreign and domestic policy of the Papal State.
 The study presents a brief overview of the political history of the Holy See in the 1823–1831. The paper highlites circumstances of the election of Cardinal Capellari at the conclave in February 1831. The article examines the circumstances in which Gregory XVI took the chair of St. Peter: in February-March
 1831 Italy found itself in a state of a military and political crisis that was resolved only after the intervention of French and Austrian troops. Under the pressure from foreign states (Austria, France, Russia, England, and Prussia), Gregory XVI
 agreed to carry out some reforms within the Papal State. First of all, the changes affected the system of administration of the Holy See. Nevertheless, despite the pressure from Austria, many planned reforms remained unfulfilled.