Papal conclave, 1676
Encyclopedia
Pope Clement X
Pope Clement X , born Emilio Bonaventura Altieri, was Pope from 29 April 1670 to 22 July 1676.-Early life:Emilio Altieri was born in Rome, the son of Lorenzo Altieri and Victoria Delphini, a Venetian lady...
and lasted from 2 August until 21 September of 1676. It led to the election of Benedetto Odescalchi as Pope Innocent XI
Pope Innocent XI
Blessed Pope Innocent XI , born Benedetto Odescalchi, was Pope from 1676 to 1689.-Early life:Benedetto Odescalchi was born at Como in 1611 , the son of a Como nobleman, Livio Odescalchi, and Paola Castelli Giovanelli from Gandino...
.
History
College 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...
convened in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
to elect a successor. The college consisted of 67 members: 44 of them took part at the opening of the conclave, and the number rose to 63 when others finally arrived from abroad. Seven of these cardinals had been created by Urban VIII, twelve by Innocent X, eight by Alexander VII, and nineteen by Clement IX and Clement X. Absent cardinals included Friedrich of Hessen and Pascal of Aragon.
A list was already in circulation indicating possible papal candidates. Only Cardinal Benedetto Odescalchi was suitably "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...
" at the time of the conclave. Odescalchi had emerged as a strong candidate for the papacy after the earlier death of Pope Clement IX
Pope Clement IX
Pope Clement IX , born Giulio Rospigliosi, was Pope from 1667 to 1669.-Early life:Born Giulio Rospigliosi to a noble family of Pistoia, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, he was a pupil of the Jesuits. After receiving his doctorate in philosophy at the University of Pisa, he taught theology there...
on 9 December, 1669, but the French Government had vetoed his nomination. After the death of Clement X, King Louis XIV of France had again intended to use his royal influence against the election of Odescalchi, who he viewed as sympathetic to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. But, seeing that his popularity had grown among the cardinals as well as the Roman people, he reluctantly instructed the cardinals of the French party to acquiesce in his candidacy.
Finally on 21 September, Odescalchi was surrounded in the chapel of the conclave and proclaimed pope by acclamation rather than formal vote. Each cardinal kissing his hand. Once pope-elect, Innocent XI made the College
College 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...
swear to the Conclave capitulation
Conclave capitulation
A conclave capitulation is a capitulation drawn up by the College of Cardinals during a papal conclave, attempting to constrain the actions of the Pope elected by the conclave. Generally, all cardinals would swear to uphold it if elected Pope, and the capitulation would be finished before the first...
that had been drafted by the previous conclave before accepting his election, in an attempt to avoid any limits to the papal supremacy
Papal supremacy
Papal supremacy refers to the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church that the pope, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ and as pastor of the entire Christian Church, has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered: that, in brief,...
. Innocent was then formally enthroned as pope on 4 October 1676. Cardinals Virginio Orsini
Virginio Orsini
Gentile Virginio Orsini was an Italian condottiero and vassal of the papal throne and the Kingdom of Naples, mainly remembered as the powerful head of the Orsini family during its feud with Pope Alexander VI...
and Carlo Bonelli both died during the conclave.
Participating cardinals
- Francesco BarberiniFrancesco Barberini (seniore)Francesco Barberini was an Italian Catholic Cardinal. The nephew of Pope Urban VIII , he benefited immensely from the nepotism practiced by his uncle...
, bishop of Ostia e Velletri, Dean of the Sacred College of CardinalsDean of the College of CardinalsThe Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals is the president of the College of Cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church, and as such always holds the rank of Cardinal Bishop. The Dean is not necessarily the longest-serving member of the whole College...
. - Ulderico CarpegnaUlderico CarpegnaUlderico Carpegna was an Italian jurist and Cardinal.Born at Scavolino, he was from a family of the Roman nobility, connected with the Montefeltro family....
, bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina, sub-dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals. - Giulio GabrielliGiulio GabrielliGiulio Gabrielli was an Italian Catholic Cardinal. He is sometimes referred to as Giulio Gabrielli the Elder to distinguish him from Giulio Gabrielli the Younger.-Early life:...
, bishop of Sabina. - Cesare FacchinettiCesare FacchinettiCesare Facchinetti was an Italian Catholic Cardinal.Facchinetti was born 17 September 1608 in Bologna. He was the son of Ludovico Facchinetti and Violante da Correggio...
, bishop of Palestrina. - Girolamo Grimaldi-CavalleroniGirolamo Grimaldi-CavalleroniGirolamo Grimaldi-Cavalleroni was an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and Archbishop of Aix.-Biography:Grimaldi was born in Genoa, the son of Giacomo Grimaldi, a senator of the Republic of Genoa, and his wife Girolama di Agostino de' Mari.He was sent to Rome for his education, and...
, bishop of Albano. - Carlo RossettiCarlo Rossettithumb|200 px|Carlo Rossetti after his return to Rome.Carlo Rossetti was an Italian Catholic Cardinal who went to London as a secret nuncio on behalf of Pope Urban VIII...
, bishop of Faenza. - Niccolò Albergati-LudovisiNiccolò Albergati-Ludovisithumb|Cardinal Niccolò Albergati-Ludovisi.Niccolò Albergati-Ludovisi was an Italian Catholic Cardinal and Archbishop of Bologna. He was a cousin of Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi....
. - Benedetto Odescalchi. (Elected Pope Innocent XI)
- Alderano Cibo, bishop of Iesi.
- Lorenzo Raggi.
- Jean-François-Paul de Gondi de Retz.
- Luigi OmodeiLuigi Omodei (1607-1685)Luigi Omodei was an Italian cardinal. His nephew Luigi Omodei was also a cardinal.-Life:He exercised several duties in the Roman Curia, notably commissioner general of the papal states under pope Innocent X and general of the papal army...
. - Pietro Vito Ottoboni.
- Francesco Albizzi.
- Carlo Pio.
- Girolamo Buonvisi, bishop of Lucca.
- Antonio Bichi, bishop of Osimo.
- Giacomo Franzoni, bishop of Camerino.
- Pietro VidoniPietro VidoniPietro Vidoni was an Italian cardinal and between 1652–1660 a papal legate and nuncio to Poland.-Personal life:...
. - Gregorio Barbarigo, bishop of Padua.
- Girolamo Boncompagni, archbishop of Bologna.
- Celio Piccolomini.
- Carlo Carafa della Spina.
- Alfonso LittaAlfonso LittaAlfonso Michele Litta was an Italian cardinal, an archbishop of Milan and Papal governor of the Marches.-See also:* Litta...
, archbishop of Milan. - Neri Corsini.
- Paluzzo Paluzzi Altieri degli AlbertoniPaluzzo Paluzzi Altieri degli Albertonithumb|Cardinal Paluzzo Paluzzi Altieri degli Albertoni.Paluzzo Paluzzi Altieri degli Albertoni was an Italian Catholic Cardinal and Cardinal-Nephew to Pope Clement X.-Biography:...
, prefect of the S.C. of Propaganda Fide. - Giannicolò Conti, bishop of Ancona.
- Giacomo Filippo Nini.
- Giulio Spinola, bishop of Nepi and Sutri.
- Innico Caracciolo, archbishop of Naples.
- Giovanni Delfino.
- Giacomo Rospigliosi, legate in Avignon.
- Sigismondo Chigi.
- Emmanuel Théodose de la Tour d'Auvergne de Bouillon.
- Luis Manuel Fernández de Portocarrero-Bocanegra y Moscoso-Osorio.
- Carlo Cerri, bishop of Ferrara.
- Lazaro Pallavicino.
- Camillo Massimi.
- Gasparo Carpegna, prefect of the S.C. of Bishops and Regulars.
- Bernhard Gustave von Baden-Durlach, O.S.B.
- César d'EstréesCésar d'EstréesCésar d'Estrées was a French diplomat and Cardinal.He was the son of Marshal François Annibal d'Estrées, and brother of Marshal Jean II d'Estrées....
. - Johann Eberhard Nidhard, S.J.
- Pierre de Bonzi, archbishop of Narbonne, France.
- Vincenzo Maria Orsini, O.P., bishop of Manfredonia.
- Francesco Nerli, archbishop of Florence.
- Girolamo Gastaldi.
- Federico Baldeschi Colonna, secretary of the S.C. of the Tridentine Council.
- Galeazzo Marescotti, legate in Ferrara.
- Alessandro CrescenziAlessandro CrescenziAlessandro Crescenzi is an Italian footballer who plays as a defender for Serie B club Bari, on loan from Roma.-Club career:Crescenzi is a product of the Roma youth system...
, bishop of Recanati and Loreto. - Bernardino Rocci, archbishop-bishop of Orvieto.
- Fabrizio SpadaFabrizio SpadaFabrizio Spada was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, and served as Secretary of State under Pope Innocent XII.-Life:...
. - Mario Alberizzi, archbishop-bishop of Tivoli.
- Philip HowardPhilip Howard (Cardinal)Hon. Philip Howard was an English Roman Catholic cardinal. Born the third son of Henry Frederick Howard and his wife, Elizabeth Stuart , Howard was a member of the premier Catholic family in England...
, O.P. - Francesco MaidalchiniFrancesco MaidalchiniFrancesco Maidalchini was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.-Early life:Maidalchini was born 12 April 1631 in Viterbo, the son of Andrea Maidalchini and Pacifica Feliziani...
. - Carlo BarberiniCarlo Barberinithumb|Cardinal Carlo Barberini .Carlo Barberini was an Italian Catholic cardinal and member of the Barberini family. He was the grand-nephew of Maffeo Barberini and son of Taddeo Barberini .-Biography:Carlo Barberini was born 1 June 1630 in Rome...
. - Decio AzzolinoDecio AzzolinoDecio Azzolino , generally known as the Younger, was an Italian cardinal.He was born at Fermo, the son of Pompeo Azzolino and Giulia Ruffo, and great-nephew of Cardinal Decio Azzolino the Elder. He received doctorates in philosophy, juridics and theology from Fermo University...
, iuniore. - Paolo Savelli.
- Flavio ChigiFlavio Chigithumb|Cardinal Flavio ChigiFlavio Chigi , Prince of Farnese, Duke of Ariccia and Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, was an Italian Roman Catholic cardinal...
, seniore. - Niccolò AcciaioliNiccolò AcciaioliNiccolò Acciaioli was an Italian noble, a member of the Florentine banking family of the Acciaioli. He was the grand seneschal of the Kingdom of Naples and count of Melfi, Malta, and Gozo in the mid-fourteenth century. He was the son of Acciaiolo, a wealthy Florentine merchant...
, legate in Ferrara. - Bonaccorso Bonaccorsi, legate in Bologna.
- Felice Rospigliosi.
- Girolamo Casanate.
- Pietro Basadonna.
Absent cardinals
Two cardinals, who never entered the conclave, died in Rome during the sede vacante:- Virginio Orsini, O.S.Io.Hieros., bishop of Frascati (+ August 21, 1676);
- Carlo Bonelli (+ August 27, 1676).
And two were absent from Rome:
- Friedrich von Hessen-DarmstadtFriedrich von Hessen-DarmstadtFriedrich von Hessen-Darmstadt was a German Roman Catholic Church Cardinal who was appointed Crown-cardinal of Austria....
, O.S.Io.Hieros. - Pascual de Aragón-Córdoba-Cardona y Fernández de Córdoba.