Papal conclave, 1592
Encyclopedia
The Papal conclave of January 10 – January 30, 1592 was the papal conclave
that elected Pope Clement VIII
in succession to Pope Innocent IX
.
died on December 30, 1591 only two months into his pontificate. This created the fourth sede vacante
in the one and half years since the death of Pope Sixtus V
, . No similar situation had occurred since 1276–1277.
Twenty three electors were created by Sixtus V, thirteen by Gregory XIII, seven by Pius IV, five by Gregory XIV, four by Pius V, one by Innocent IX and one by Pope Julius III
.
(December 20, 1589) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Agata in Suburra; Bishop of Metz; Papal Legate in Lorraine
Five of these were created by Gregory XIII, four by Sixtus V and one by Innocent IX.
was divided into several factions. The strongest of them was the Spanish faction with Madruzzo as unofficial leader. They supported the interests of king Philip II of Spain
. Their candidate was Giulio Antonio Santori, head of the Roman Inquisition
, called Cardinal S. Severina. His candidature was supported also by the "Sixtine" party, which included the old favourite
s and circle of Pope Sixtus V; their leader was Sixtus's cardinal-nephew
, Alessandro Peretti de Montalto, Vice-Chancellor of the Church. Montalto supported Santori as a tactical manoeuvre and his real candidate was Aldobrandini. There was also a numerous group of cardinals that openly opposed Santori. Most of them were the old circles of Gregory XIII and Pius IV and their leaders were Sforza, Hohenems and Marcantonio Colonna.
Since in the last two conclaves the candidates supported by Spain had won, it was generally thought that also this time only pro-Spanish papabile
had any prospects of winning the election. Besides Santori, only Madruzzo, Tolomeo Gallio, Paleotti, Marco Antonio Colonna and Aldobrandini were acceptable to Spain and it seemed clear that the new Pope would be one of them.
• January 11 – Santori – 28, Aldobrandini - 11
• January 12 – Santori – 23, Aldobrandini - 18
• January 13 – Santori – 23, Aldobrandini - 18
• January 14 – Santori – 24, Aldobrandini - 9
• January 15 – Santori – 21, Aldobrandini - 13
• January 16 – Santori – 22, Aldobrandini - 13
• January 17 – Santori – 23, Aldobrandini - 13
• January 18 – ?
• January 19 – Santori – 23, Aldobrandini - 12
• January 20 – Santori – 22, Aldobrandini - 15
• January 21 – Santori – 23, Aldobrandini - 17
• January 22 – Santori – 23, Aldobrandini - 12
• January 23 – Madruzzo – 21, Santori – 18
• January 24 – Santori – 18, Aldobrandini and Madruzzo – 16 each
• January 25 – Santori i Aldobrandini – po 19
• January 26 – Santori – 18, Madruzzo - 16
• January 27 – Santori – 21, Madruzzo – 16
• January 28 – Aldobrandini – 17, Santori and Madruzzo – 15 each
• January 29 – Santori – 17, Aldobrandini – 16
Santori received the greatest number of votes in almost each ballot, but was not able to secure the required majority of two thirds and support for him gradually diminished. Eventually on January 29 Cardinal Montalto decided to switch to support the candidature of Ippolito Aldobrandini and was able to secure significant votes for him. Madruzzo then accepted that the opposition against him was too strong and switched to Ippolito Aldobrandini as more acceptable than Santori. This was the decisive moment of this conclave.
. On February 2 he was consecrated to the episcopate by Cardinal Alfonso Gesualdo
, bishop of Ostia e Velletri and dean of the College of Cardinals. Seven days later he was solemnly crowned by Francesco Sforza di Santa Fiore, deacon of S. Maria in Via Lata.
Papal conclave
A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a Bishop of Rome, who then becomes the Pope during a period of vacancy in the papal office. The Pope is considered by Roman Catholics to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church...
that elected Pope Clement VIII
Pope Clement VIII
Pope Clement VIII , born Ippolito Aldobrandini, was Pope from 30 January 1592 to 3 March 1605.-Cardinal:...
in succession to Pope Innocent IX
Pope Innocent IX
Pope Innocent IX , born Giovanni Antonio Facchinetti, was Pope from 29 October 1591 to his death on 30 December of the same year...
.
Death of Innocent IX
Pope Innocent IXPope Innocent IX
Pope Innocent IX , born Giovanni Antonio Facchinetti, was Pope from 29 October 1591 to his death on 30 December of the same year...
died on December 30, 1591 only two months into his pontificate. This created the fourth sede vacante
Sede vacante
Sede vacante is an expression, used in the Canon Law of the Catholic Church, that refers to the vacancy of the episcopal see of a particular church...
in the one and half years since the death of Pope Sixtus V
Pope Sixtus V
Pope Sixtus V , born Felice Peretti di Montalto, was Pope from 1585 to 1590.-Early life:The chronicler Andrija Zmajević states that Felice's family originated from modern-day Montenegro...
, . No similar situation had occurred since 1276–1277.
List of participants
Fifty four out of the sixty four cardinals participated in this conclave:- Alfonso GesualdoAlfonso GesualdoAlfonso Gesualdo was an Italian Cardinal, from 1561. He was from Naples.He was archbishop of Conza in 1564, bishop of Albano in 1583, bishop of Frascati in 1587, bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina in 1589, bishop of Ostia in 1591, archbishop of Naples in 1596.He was a patron of Sant'Andrea della...
(created cardinal on February 26, 1561) – Cardinal-Bishop of Ostia e Velletri; Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals; Prefect of the S.C. of Ceremonies; Prefect of the S.C. of Rites; Cardinal-protector of the Kingdom of PortugalKingdom of PortugalThe Kingdom of Portugal was Portugal's general designation under the monarchy. The kingdom was located in the west of the Iberian Peninsula, Europe and existed from 1139 to 1910...
and the Kingdom of SicilyKingdom of SicilyThe Kingdom of Sicily was a state that existed in the south of Italy from its founding by Roger II in 1130 until 1816. It was a successor state of the County of Sicily, which had been founded in 1071 during the Norman conquest of southern Italy...
- Innico d'Avalos d'AragonaInnico d'Avalos d'AragonaInnico d'Avalos d'Aragona , , was an Italian Cardinal, from Naples.He was the son of condottiero Alfonso d'Avalos d´Aquino,...
, O.S.Iacobis. (February 26, 1561) – Cardinal-Bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina; Sub-dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals
- Marco Antonio Colonna (March 12, 1565) – Cardinal-Bishop of Palestrina; Librarian of the Holy Roman Church
- Tolomeo GallioTolomeo GallioTolomeo Gallio was an Italian Cardinal.In the time of Pope Gregory XIII, he acted as papal secretary of state , having a key role in the curia....
(March 12, 1565) – Cardinal-Bishop of Frascati
- Gabriele PaleottiGabriele PaleottiGabriele Paleotti was an Italian Cardinal and Archbishop of Bologna.-Life:Paleotti was born at Bologna. Having acquired, in 1546, the title of Doctor of Civil and Canon Law, he was appointed to teach civil law. In 1549 he became a canon of the cathedral, but he did not become a priest until later...
(March 12, 1565) – Cardinal-Bishop of Sabina; Archbishop of Bologna
- Michele BonelliMichele BonelliCarlo Michele Bonelli, Cardinal Alessandrino was an Italian senior papal diplomat with a distinguished career that spanned two decades from 1571.-Biography:...
, O.P. (March 6, 1566) - Cardinal-Bishop of Albano; Prefect of the S.C. of the Bishops and Regulars; Cardinal-protector of the Order of Dominicans
- Markus Sitticus von Hohenems (February 26, 1561) - Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria in Trastevere; ProtopriestProtopriestProtopriest — in the College of Cardinals, is the first Cardinal-Priest in the order of precedence. This title is always attached to the most senior Cardinal Priest according to date of his creation. From the 17th century until the end of 19th century Protopriest usually opted for the titulus San...
of the Sacred College of Cardinals; Archpriest of the patriarchal Lateran Basilica
- Ludovico MadruzzoLudovico Madruzzothumb|200px|Portrait of Ludovico Madruzzo by [[Giovanni Battista Moroni]].Art Institute, [[Chicago]].Ludovico Madruzzo was an Italian Roman Catholic cardinal and statesman, the Imperial crown-cardinal and Prince-Bishop of the Bishopric of Trento .-Biography:Born in Trento, he was the son of baron...
(February 26, 1561) - Cardinal-Priest of S. Lorenzo in Lucina; Bishop of Trento; Cardinal-protector of Germany and Spain
- Girolamo SimoncelliGirolamo SimoncelliGirolamo Simoncelli was an Italian cardinal.-Life:He was made a cardinal by his great-uncle pope Julius III in the consistory of 22 December 1553, elected bishop of Orvieto in 1554 and administrator in 1570...
(December 22, 1553) - Cardinal-Priest of S. Prisca; Administrator of the see of Orvieto
- Giulio Antonio Santori (May 17, 1570) - Cardinal-Priest of S. Bartolomeo all’Isola; Grand Inquisitor of the Supreme S.C. of the Roman and Universal InquisitionRoman InquisitionThe Roman Inquisition was a system of tribunals developed by the Holy See during the second half of the 16th century, responsible for prosecuting individuals accused of a wide array of crimes related to heresy, including Protestantism, sorcery, immorality, blasphemy, Judaizing and witchcraft, as...
; Archbishop of Santa Severina; Cardinal-protector of the Order of CapuchinsOrder of Friars Minor CapuchinThe Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
and of the Greek Catholic ChurchGreek Catholic ChurchThe Greek Catholic Church consists of the Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine liturgical tradition and are thus in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, the Pope.-List of Greek Catholic Churches:...
- Girolamo Rusticucci (May 17, 1570) - Cardinal-Priest of S. Susanna; Vicar General of Rome; Camerlengo of the Sacred College of CardinalsCamerlengo of the Sacred College of CardinalsThe Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals was the treasurer of that body.He administered all property, fees, funds and revenue belonging to the College of Cardinals, celebrated the requiem Mass for a deceased cardinal and was charged with the registry of the Acta Consistoralia.It is...
; Cardinal-protector of the Order of Cistercians
- Nicolas de PellevéNicolas de PellevéNicolas de Pellevé was a French archbishop and Cardinal. He was a major figure of the Catholic League.He was a courtier of Henry II of France, and then of Cardinal Charles de Lorraine-Guise. He was bishop of Amiens in 1552, archbishop of Sens in 1562...
(May 17, 1570) - Cardinal-Priest of S. Prassede; Archbishop of Sens and Archbishop of ReimsArchbishop of ReimsThe Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Reims is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in France. Erected as a diocese around 250 by St. Sixtus, the diocese was elevated to an archdiocese around 750...
; Cardinal-protector of IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
- Pedro de Deza (February 21, 1578) - Cardinal-Priest of S. Girolamo degli Schiavoni
- Alessandro Ottaviano de' MediciPope Leo XIPope Leo XI , born Alessandro Ottaviano de' Medici, was Pope from 1 April 1605 to 27 April of the same year.-Biography:...
(December 12, 1583) - Cardinal-Priest of SS. Giovanni e Paolo; Archbishop of Florence
- François de JoyeuseFrançois de JoyeuseFrançois de Joyeuse was a French churchman and politician.Born at Carcassonne, François de Joyeuse was the second son of Guillaume de Joyeuse and Marie Eléanor de Batarnay. As the younger son of a seigneur in an intensely religious family of bishops and soldiers, he was destined for a career in...
(December 12, 1583) – Cardinal-Priest of SS. Trinita al Monte Pincio; Archbishop of Toulouse; Cardinal-protector of the Kingdom of FranceKingdom of FranceThe Kingdom of France was one of the most powerful states to exist in Europe during the second millennium.It originated from the Western portion of the Frankish empire, and consolidated significant power and influence over the next thousand years. Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, developed a...
- Giulio CananiGiulio CananiGiulio Canani was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.-Early life:Born in Ferrarato Luigi Canani and Lucrezia Brancaleone, he studied both canon and civil law in the University of Ferrara and he became cleric in Ferara...
(December 12, 1583) - Cardinal-Priest of S. Anastasia; Bishop of Modena
- Anton Maria SalviatiAnton Maria SalviatiAnton Maria Salviati was an Italian Roman Catholic cardinal.Salviati was born in Florence, son of Lorenzo Salviati and Costanza Conti, the nephew of cardinals Bernardo Salviati and Giovanni Salviati. In 1561 he was appointed as bishop of Saint-Papoul in France, and later was apostolic nuncio in...
(December 12, 1583) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria della Pace
- Agostino Valeri (December 12, 1583) - Cardinal-Priest of S. Marco; Bishop of Verona
- Vincenzo LauroVincenzo LauroVincenzo Lauro was an Italian papal diplomat, bishop of Mondovì, and Cardinal from 1583.He was born at Tropea. His career was forwarded by Cardinal Pier Paolo Parisio and Cardinal Nicola Gaddi. He became a diplomat while acting for Cardinal François de Tournon in 1552...
(December 12, 1583) - Cardinal-Priest of S. Clemente; Bishop of MondoviRoman Catholic Diocese of MondovìThe Italian Roman Catholic Diocese of Mondovì is a Catholic diocese in the Ecclesiastical Region of Piedmont. Its 192 parishes are divided between the Province of Savona in the region Liguria and the Province of Cuneo in the region Piedmont...
; Cardinal-protector of ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
- Filippo Spinola (December 12, 1583) - Cardinal-Priest of S. Sabina; Legate in SpoletoSpoletoSpoleto is an ancient city in the Italian province of Perugia in east central Umbria on a foothill of the Apennines. It is S. of Trevi, N. of Terni, SE of Perugia; SE of Florence; and N of Rome.-History:...
- Jerzy Radziwiłł (December 12, 1583) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Sisto; Bishop of Kraków
- Scipione Lancelotti (December 12, 1583) - Cardinal-Priest of S. Salvatore in Lauro; Secretary of the Apostolic Briefs
- Enrico CaetaniEnrico CaetaniEnrico Caetani was an Italian cardinal.-Early life:He was born at Sermoneta, the second son of Bonifacio, lord of Sermoneta, and Caterina di Alberto Pio, daughter of the lord of Carpi. He was the nephew of Cardinal Niccolò Caetani, and brother of Camillo Caetani.Pope Sixtus V gave him the title of...
(December 18, 1585) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Pudenziana; Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church; Latin Patriarch of AlexandriaLatin Patriarch of AlexandriaThis is a list of The Latin Patriarchs of Alexandria established in 1215 during the pontificate of Pope Innocent III. This titular office was abolished in 1964. His patriachal seat in Rome was the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls....
; Prefect of the Congregation for French affairs
- Giovanni Battista Castrucci (December 18, 1585) - Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria in Aracoeli
- Domenico Pinelli (December 18, 1585) - Cardinal-Priest of S. Crisogono; Archpriest of the patriarchal Liberian Basilica; Papal legatePapal legateA papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
in PerugiaPerugiaPerugia is the capital city of the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the River Tiber, and the capital of the province of Perugia. The city is located about north of Rome. It covers a high hilltop and part of the valleys around the area....
and UmbriaUmbriaUmbria is a region of modern central Italy. It is one of the smallest Italian regions and the only peninsular region that is landlocked.Its capital is Perugia.Assisi and Norcia are historical towns associated with St. Francis of Assisi, and St...
; Cardinal-protector of the Order of Carmelites
- Ippolito AldobrandiniPope Clement VIIIPope Clement VIII , born Ippolito Aldobrandini, was Pope from 30 January 1592 to 3 March 1605.-Cardinal:...
(December 18, 1585) - Cardinal-Priest of S. Pancrazio; Grand penitentiary
- Girolamo della Rovere (November 16, 1586) - Cardinal-Priest of S. Pietro in Vincoli; Archbishop of Turin
- Girolamo BernerioGirolamo BernerioGirolamo Cardinal Bernerio, O.P. was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.Bernerio was born in Corregio. He served as Bishop of Ascoli Piceno from 1586 until his resignation in 1605. He was elevated to Cardinal on 16 November 1586 and installed as the Cardinal-Priest of S. Tommaso in...
, O.P. (November 16, 1586) - Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria sopra Minerva; Bishop of Ascoli-Piceno; Cardinal-protector of the Order of Servites
- Antonio Maria Gallio (November 16, 1586) - Cardinal-Priest of S. Agnese in Agone; Bishop of Osimo
- Costanzo Buttafoco da Sarnano, O.F.M.Conv. (November 16, 1586) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Pietro in Montorio
- Benedetto GiustinianiBenedetto GiustinianiBenedetto Giustiniani was an Italian clergyman who was made a cardinal in the consistory of 16 November 1586 by Pope Sixtus V....
(November 16, 1586) - Cardinal-Priest of S. Marcello; Prefect of the Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature of Grace; Legate in Marche; Vice-protector of the Kingdom of France
- William Allen (August 7, 1587) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Silvestro a Martino ai Monti
- Scipione GonzagaScipione GonzagaScipione Gonzaga was an Italian Cardinal.Born in Mantua, he belonged to the family of the Dukes of Sabbioneta, passed his youth under the care of Cardinal Ercole Gonzaga, and made rapid progress in Greek and Latin studies...
(December 18, 1587) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria del Popolo; Latin Patriarch of JerusalemLatin Patriarch of JerusalemThe Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is the title possessed by the Latin Rite Catholic Archbishop of Jerusalem. The Archdiocese of Jerusalem has jurisdiction for all Latin Rite Catholics in Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Jordan and Cyprus...
- Antonio Maria Sauli (December 18, 1587) - Cardinal-Priest of S. Stefano al Monte Celio
- Giovanni Evangelista Pallotta (December 18, 1587) - Cardinal-Priest of S. Mateo in Merulana; Archpriest of the patriarchal Vatican Basilica
- Giovanni Francesco Morosini (July 15, 1588) - Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria in Via; Bishop of Brescia; Cardinal-protector of Hungary
- Francesco Maria Del MonteFrancesco Maria Del MonteFrancesco Maria Del Monte, full name Francesco Maria Bourbon Del Monte Santa Maria, was an Italian Cardinal, diplomat and connoisseur of the arts...
(December 14, 1588) – Cardinal-Priest of SS. Quirico e Giulitta
- Agostino Cusani (December 14, 1588) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Lorenzo in Pansiperna
- Mariano Pierbenedetti (December 20, 1589) - Cardinal-Priest of SS. Marcellino e Pietro
- Gregorio Petrocchini, O.E.S.A. (December 20, 1589) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Agostino
- Paolo Emilio SfondratiPaolo Emilio SfondratiPaolo Emilio Sfondrati was an Italian Cardinal.Born to a noble family in Milan and the nephew of Pope Gregory XIV, he was the cardinal priest of Santa Cecilia, papal legate in Bologna, member of the Congregation of the Sant'Offizio and a good friend of San Filippo Neri.He was bishop of Cremona,...
(December 19, 1590) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Cecilia; Legate a latere in Bologna and Romagna; Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature of Justice
- Ottavio Paravicini (March 6, 1591) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Giovanni a Porta Latina; Bishop of Alessandria
- Andreas von Österreich (November 19, 1576) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Maria Nuova; ProtodeaconProtodeaconProtodeacon derives from the Greek proto- meaning 'first' and diakonos, which is a standard ancient Greek word meaning "servant", "waiting-man," "minister" or "messenger." The word in English may refer to various clergymen, depending upon the usage of the particular church in question.-Eastern...
of the Sacred College of Cardinals; Bishop of Constance and bishop of Brixen; Cardinal-protector of Austria
- Simeone Tagliavia d'Aragona (December 12, 1583) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Maria degli Angeli; Vice-protector of the Kingdom of Spain
- Francesco Sforza di Santa Fiora (December 12, 1583) - Cardinal-Deacon of S. Maria in Via Lata; Legate in RomagnaRomagnaRomagna is an Italian historical region that approximately corresponds to the south-eastern portion of present-day Emilia-Romagna. Traditionally, it is limited by the Apennines to the south-west, the Adriatic to the east, and the rivers Reno and Sillaro to the north and west...
- Alessandro Peretti Montalto Damasceni (May 13, 1585) - Cardinal-Deacon of S. Lorenzo in Damaso; Vice-Chancellor of the Holy Roman Church; Legate in Bologna; Cardinal-protector of the Kingdom of PolandKingdom of Poland (1385–1569)The Kingdom of Poland of the Jagiellons was the Polish state created by the accession of Jogaila , Grand Duke of Lithuania, to the Polish throne in 1386. The Union of Krewo or Krėva Act, united Poland and Lithuania under the rule of a single monarch...
; Cardinal-protector of the orders of Benedictines and Celestines
- Girolamo Matei (November 16, 1586) - Cardinal-Deacon of S. Eustachio; Prefect of the S.C. of the Tridentine Council
- Ascanio Colonna (November 16, 1586) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Maria in Cosmedin
- Federico BorromeoFederico BorromeoFederico Borromeo was an Italian ecclesiastic, cardinal and archbishop of Milan.-Biography:Federico Borromeo was born in Milan as the second son of Giulio Cesare Borromeo, Count of Arona, and Margherita Trivulzio...
(December 18, 1587) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Nicola in Carcere Tulliano
- Guido PepoliGuido PepoliGuido Pepoli was an Italian cardinal. He was ordained by Pope Sixtus V on December 20, 1589.Guido Pepoli was an Italian Cardinal....
(December 20, 1589) – Cardinal-Deacon of SS. Cosma e Damiano
- Ottavio d'Aquaviva (March 6, 1591) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Giorgio in Velabro; Legate in CampagnaCampagnaCampagna is a small town and comune of the province of Salerno, in the Campania region of Southern Italy.-History:The town, located in a mountainous district, gradually lost importance in the 20th century...
and Marittima
- Odoardo FarneseOdoardo FarneseOdoardo Farnese was Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1622 to 1646.-Biography:Odoardo was the sole legitimate son of Ranuccio I Farnese and Margherita Aldobrandini...
(March 6, 1591) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Adriano
- Flaminio Piatti (March 6, 1591) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Maria in Domnica
- Giovanni Antonio Facchinetti de Nuce (December 18, 1591) – Cardinal-Deacon with no deaconry assigned; Secretary of State and Superintendent general of the Papal StatesCardinal-nephewA cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to...
Twenty three electors were created by Sixtus V, thirteen by Gregory XIII, seven by Pius IV, five by Gregory XIV, four by Pius V, one by Innocent IX and one by Pope Julius III
Pope Julius III
Pope Julius III , born Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte, was Pope from 7 February 1550 to 1555....
.
Absentees
Ten cardinals were absent:- Gaspar Quiroga y Vela (December 15, 1578) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Balbina; Archbishop of Toledo; Inquisitor General of the Spanish InquisitionSpanish InquisitionThe Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition , commonly known as the Spanish Inquisition , was a tribunal established in 1480 by Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. It was intended to maintain Catholic orthodoxy in their kingdoms, and to replace the Medieval...
- Rodrigo de Castro de Lemos (December 12, 1583) – Cardinal-Priest of SS. XII Apostoli; Archbishop of Seville
- Philippe de Lenoncourt (November 16, 1586) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Onofrio; Prefect of the S.C. of Index
- Pierre de GondiPierre de GondiPierre de Gondi, cardinal de Retz was a French bishop and cardinal of the Gondi family.-Life:Born in Lyon, he was a brother of Albert de Gondi and a protégé of Catherine de Médicis...
(December 18, 1587) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Silvestro in Capite; Bishop of Paris
- Filippo Sega (December 18, 1591) – Cardinal-Priest with no title assigned; Bishop of Piacenza; Legate in France
- Albrecht VII Habsburg (March 3, 1577) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Croce in Gerusalemme; Inquisitor General of the Portuguese InquisitionPortuguese InquisitionThe Portuguese Inquisition was formally established in Portugal in 1536 at the request of the King of Portugal, João III. Manuel I had asked for the installation of the Inquisition in 1515 to fulfill the commitment of marriage with Maria of Aragon, but it was only after his death that the Pope...
; Viceroy of Portugal
- Charles III de Bourbon de Vendôme II (December 12, 1583) – Cardinal-Deacon with no deaconry assigned; Archbishop of RouenArchbishop of RouenThe Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Rouen is an Archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in France. As one of the fifteen Archbishops of France, the ecclesiastical province of the archdiocese comprises the majority of Normandy....
- Andrzej Batory (July 4, 1584) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Angelo in Pescheria; Bishop of Warmia
- Hughes de Loubenx de Verdalle, O.S.Io.Hieros. (December 18, 1587) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Maria in Portico; Grand Master of the Knights HospitallerKnights HospitallerThe Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
(December 20, 1589) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Agata in Suburra; Bishop of Metz; Papal Legate in Lorraine
Five of these were created by Gregory XIII, four by Sixtus V and one by Innocent IX.
Divisions in the Sacred College and the main candidates
The Sacred College of CardinalsCollege of Cardinals
The College of Cardinals is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church.A function of the college is to advise the pope about church matters when he summons them to an ordinary consistory. It also convenes on the death or abdication of a pope as a papal conclave to elect a successor...
was divided into several factions. The strongest of them was the Spanish faction with Madruzzo as unofficial leader. They supported the interests of king Philip II of Spain
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
. Their candidate was Giulio Antonio Santori, head of the Roman Inquisition
Roman Inquisition
The Roman Inquisition was a system of tribunals developed by the Holy See during the second half of the 16th century, responsible for prosecuting individuals accused of a wide array of crimes related to heresy, including Protestantism, sorcery, immorality, blasphemy, Judaizing and witchcraft, as...
, called Cardinal S. Severina. His candidature was supported also by the "Sixtine" party, which included the old favourite
Favourite
A favourite , or favorite , was the intimate companion of a ruler or other important person. In medieval and Early Modern Europe, among other times and places, the term is used of individuals delegated significant political power by a ruler...
s and circle of Pope Sixtus V; their leader was Sixtus's cardinal-nephew
Cardinal-nephew
A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to...
, Alessandro Peretti de Montalto, Vice-Chancellor of the Church. Montalto supported Santori as a tactical manoeuvre and his real candidate was Aldobrandini. There was also a numerous group of cardinals that openly opposed Santori. Most of them were the old circles of Gregory XIII and Pius IV and their leaders were Sforza, Hohenems and Marcantonio Colonna.
Since in the last two conclaves the candidates supported by Spain had won, it was generally thought that also this time only pro-Spanish papabile
Papabile
Papabile is an unofficial Italian term first coined by Vaticanologists and now used internationally in many languages to describe a cardinal of whom it is thought likely or possible that he will be elected pope. A literal English translation would be "popeable" or "one who might become pope".In...
had any prospects of winning the election. Besides Santori, only Madruzzo, Tolomeo Gallio, Paleotti, Marco Antonio Colonna and Aldobrandini were acceptable to Spain and it seemed clear that the new Pope would be one of them.
The conclave
The conclave began on January 10, 1592. The next morning Madruzzo and Montalto together with their adherents tried to elect Santori by acclamation, but their plan had failed due to strong opposition from Hohenems and his party. Afterwards the normal voting procedures were followed. Every day a vote took place, with the following results:• January 12 – Santori – 23, Aldobrandini - 18
• January 13 – Santori – 23, Aldobrandini - 18
• January 14 – Santori – 24, Aldobrandini - 9
• January 15 – Santori – 21, Aldobrandini - 13
• January 16 – Santori – 22, Aldobrandini - 13
• January 17 – Santori – 23, Aldobrandini - 13
• January 18 – ?
• January 19 – Santori – 23, Aldobrandini - 12
• January 20 – Santori – 22, Aldobrandini - 15
• January 21 – Santori – 23, Aldobrandini - 17
• January 22 – Santori – 23, Aldobrandini - 12
• January 23 – Madruzzo – 21, Santori – 18
• January 24 – Santori – 18, Aldobrandini and Madruzzo – 16 each
• January 25 – Santori i Aldobrandini – po 19
• January 26 – Santori – 18, Madruzzo - 16
• January 27 – Santori – 21, Madruzzo – 16
• January 28 – Aldobrandini – 17, Santori and Madruzzo – 15 each
• January 29 – Santori – 17, Aldobrandini – 16
Santori received the greatest number of votes in almost each ballot, but was not able to secure the required majority of two thirds and support for him gradually diminished. Eventually on January 29 Cardinal Montalto decided to switch to support the candidature of Ippolito Aldobrandini and was able to secure significant votes for him. Madruzzo then accepted that the opposition against him was too strong and switched to Ippolito Aldobrandini as more acceptable than Santori. This was the decisive moment of this conclave.
Election of Clement VIII
On January 30, 1592 Cardinal Ippolito Aldobrandini was unanimously elected to the papacy and took the name of Clement VIIIPope Clement VIII
Pope Clement VIII , born Ippolito Aldobrandini, was Pope from 30 January 1592 to 3 March 1605.-Cardinal:...
. On February 2 he was consecrated to the episcopate by Cardinal Alfonso Gesualdo
Alfonso Gesualdo
Alfonso Gesualdo was an Italian Cardinal, from 1561. He was from Naples.He was archbishop of Conza in 1564, bishop of Albano in 1583, bishop of Frascati in 1587, bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina in 1589, bishop of Ostia in 1591, archbishop of Naples in 1596.He was a patron of Sant'Andrea della...
, bishop of Ostia e Velletri and dean of the College of Cardinals. Seven days later he was solemnly crowned by Francesco Sforza di Santa Fiore, deacon of S. Maria in Via Lata.