Papal conclave, 1769
Encyclopedia
A papal conclave
which lasted from 15 February to 19 May 1769 was convoked after the death of Pope Clement XIII
. It elected as his successor Cardinal Lorenzo Ganganelli, who took the name Clement XIV.
and the Kingdom of Portugal
(under the House of Braganza
) had exerted strong pressure on the Holy See
to suppress this order through almost the whole of his pontificate. In 1759 Jesuits were expelled from Portugal, in 1762 from the Kingdom of France
, in 1767 from Spain
and in 1768 from the Kingdom of Naples
, the Kingdom of Sicily
and the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza. Clement XIII strongly defended the Society (e.g. in the bull Apostolicum pascendi in 1765), but without success. In January 1769 France and Naples seized the papal territories around Avignon
, Benevento
and Pontecorvo
to force the pope to issue a decree for the suppression of the order. The sudden death of 75 year old Clement XIII left this difficult decision to his successor.
Twenty nine electors were created by Clement XIII, while fifteen by Pope Benedict XIV
. Alessandro Albani received the red hat from Innocent XIII, and Neri Maria Corsini from Clement XII.
. The Sacred College of Cardinals
was divided into two blocs: pro-Jesuits and anti-Jesuits, but several cardinals were neutral. The pro-Jesuit faction, called Zelanti
, grouped Italian curial cardinals who opposed the secular influences on the Church. Their leaders were Gian Francesco and Alessandro Albani and cardinal-nephew
of the deceased pope Carlo Rezzonico. The anti-Jesuit bloc (called also "court faction") grouped crown-cardinals of the Catholic Powers: France, Spain and Naples. Respectively ruled at the time by Louis XV of France
, Charles III of Spain
and Ferdinand III of Sicily/Ferdinand IV of Naples
. In spite of the national divisions they worked together for the main goal – suppression of the Society of Jesus. The Bourbon courts had decided to put the official leadership of this bloc in the hands of the French Cardinal de Bernis. He and his colleagues were instructed to block every pro-Jesuit candidature, even with the official exclusion if necessary. Several cardinals, among them Lorenzo Ganganelli, did not belong to either faction.
The Spanish and Neapolitan governments had classified forty three Italian cardinals into five categories: "good" (eleven cardinals), "indifferent" (eight), "doubtful" (three), "bad" (fifteen) and "very bad" (six):
Cardinal Orsini, the official representative of the Neapolitan court, and all the foreigners, were not classified because it was certain that none of them would be ever elected pope.
The French government was more fastidious than Spanish and Neapolitan. Only three cardinals were considered good candidates: Conti, Durini and Ganganelli
Out of these 43 cardinals only 27 or 28 were actually considered papabile
, while the remaining 15 were excluded due to their age or health.
The conclave began on February 15, 1769. Initially only 27 cardinals participated. Zelanti, taking advantage of the small number of the electors and the absence of the French and Spanish cardinals, tried to achieve a quick election of Cardinal Flavio Chigi. In one ballot he was only two votes short of being elected. The efforts of Zelanti met with strong protests from the ambassadors of France and Spain, but, fortunately for them, Cardinal Orsini, protector of the Kingdom of Naples
and the only crown-cardinal present in the early ballots, was able to join some neutral cardinals to block Chigi’s candidature.
An unprecedented event was the visit of Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
, who arrived incognito in Rome on March 6 and was allowed to enter the conclave. He stayed there two weeks, freely debating with the electors. Fortunately, he did not press them but only expressed the wish for the election of a pope who would be able to carry out his duties with the proper respect for the secular rulers.
Cardinal de Bernis entered the conclave at the end of March and took the leadership of the anti-Jesuit faction from the hands of Cardinal Orsini, who could have blocked Zelanti’s actions only with the great difficulties. Bernis immediately established a regular correspondence with French ambassador Marquis d'Aubeterre, which was in violation of the fundamental law of the conclave. Ambassadors of France and Spain urged Bernis to insist that the election of the future pope be made to depend on his written engagement to suppress the Jesuits. Bernis refused, answering that demanding from the future pope a written or oral promise to destroy the Society of Jesus would be in violation of the canon law. In spite of this refusal, during the next few weeks Bernis consecutively rejected all candidates proposed by Zelanti as too devoted to the Jesuits. In this way twenty-three out of twenty-eight papabile
were eliminated, among them strongly pro-Jesuit Cardinal Fantuzzi, who at some point was very close to achieving election to the papal throne, as well as Cavalchini, Colonna, Stoppani, Pozzobonelli, Sersale, and several others.
The arrival of Spanish cardinals Solis and de la Cerda on April 27 strengthened the anti-Jesuit party. They also violated the law of the conclave by establishing regular correspondence with Spanish ambassador Azpuru. The Spaniards had fewer scruples than Bernis and, supported by Cardinal Malvezzi, took the matter into their own hands. They paid attention to the only friar in the Sacred College, Cardinal Lorenzo Ganganelli
, O.F.M.Conv
. The attitude of Ganganelli towards the Jesuits was a great mystery – he had been educated by the Jesuits and it was said that he received the red hat at the instance of Father Lorenzo Ricci
, general of the Society of Jesus, but during the pontificate of Clement XIII he did not engage himself in the defence of the Order. Cardinal Solis began by sounding him out as to his willingness to give the promise required by the Bourbon princes as an indispensable condition for election. Ganganelli answered that "he recognized in the sovereign pontiff the right to extinguish, with good conscience, the Society of Jesus, provided he observed the canon law; and that it was desirable that the pope should do everything in his power to satisfy the wishes of the Crowns". It is not certain whether it was a written or only an oral promise, but this declaration fully satisfied the ambassadors.
In the same time Zelanti, also began to incline to give their support to Ganganelli, looking upon him as indifferent or even favourable to the Jesuits. It seems that the attitude of Zelanti was decided by the secret negotiations between their leaders Alessandro and Gian Francesco Albani and the Spanish cardinals. Cardinal de Bernis, the nominal leader of the court faction, probably did not play any role in the appointment of Ganganelli and only followed the instructions of Marquis d'Aubeterre when all had been already known.
The results of the ballots between April 27 and May 18 were following (only the leading candidates are included):
On May 28 the new pope was consecrated to the episcopate by Cardinal Federico Marcello Lante, bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina and sub-dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals, assisted by Cardinals Gian Francesco Albani
, bishop of Sabina and Henry Benedict Stuart
, bishop of Frascati. On June 4 he was solemnly crowned
by Cardinal Alessandro Albani, protodeacon 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...
which lasted from 15 February to 19 May 1769 was convoked after the death of Pope Clement XIII
Pope Clement XIII
Pope Clement XIII , born Carlo della Torre di Rezzonico, was Pope from 16 July 1758 to 2 February 1769....
. It elected as his successor Cardinal Lorenzo Ganganelli, who took the name Clement XIV.
Death of Clement XIII
Clement XIII died suddenly on 2 February 1769, a day before the date of the consistory that he had convoked to examine the demands for the general suppression of the Society of Jesus. The various courts under the House of BourbonHouse of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
and the Kingdom of Portugal
Kingdom of Portugal
The 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...
(under the House of Braganza
House of Braganza
The Most Serene House of Braganza , an important Portuguese noble family, ruled the Kingdom of Portugal and its colonial Empire, from 1640 to 1910...
) had exerted strong pressure on the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
to suppress this order through almost the whole of his pontificate. In 1759 Jesuits were expelled from Portugal, in 1762 from the Kingdom of France
Early Modern France
Kingdom of France is the early modern period of French history from the end of the 15th century to the end of the 18th century...
, in 1767 from 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...
and in 1768 from the Kingdom of Naples
Kingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...
, the Kingdom of Sicily
Kingdom of Sicily
The 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...
and the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza. Clement XIII strongly defended the Society (e.g. in the bull Apostolicum pascendi in 1765), but without success. In January 1769 France and Naples seized the papal territories around Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
, Benevento
Benevento
Benevento is a town and comune of Campania, Italy, capital of the province of Benevento, 50 km northeast of Naples. It is situated on a hill 130 m above sea-level at the confluence of the Calore Irpino and Sabato...
and Pontecorvo
Pontecorvo
Pontecorvo is a town and comune in the province of Frosinone, Lazio, Italy. Its population is 13,400.- History :The village lies under Rocca Guglielma, a medieval fortification perched on an inaccessible spur...
to force the pope to issue a decree for the suppression of the order. The sudden death of 75 year old Clement XIII left this difficult decision to his successor.
List of participants
Forty six out of fifty seven cardinals participated in the conclave:- Carlo Alberto Guidobono Cavalchini (created cardinal on September 9, 1743) – Cardinal-Bishop of Ostia e Velletri; Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals; pro-Datary of His Holiness; prefect of the S.C. of Ceremonies; prefect of the S.C. of Bishops and Regulars
- Federico Marcello Lante (September 9, 1743) – Cardinal-Bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina; Sub-dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals; prefect of the S.C. of the Good Government; governor of BalnearioBalnearioBalneario is a Latin American seaside resort, although they may also occur along great lakes, rivers and at hot springs. In Spain balneario typically only refers to spa town resorts. Whatever the case these resorts offer recreation, sports, entertainment, food, hospitality and safety services,...
- Gian Francesco AlbaniGian Francesco AlbaniGian Francesco Albani was a Roman Catholic Cardinal. He was a member of the Albani family.Albani was born in Rome, the son of Carlo Albani, Duke of Soriano; his grand-uncle was Pope Clement XI...
(April 10, 1747) – Cardinal-Bishop of Sabina; Cardinal-protector of Poland
- Henry Benedict StuartHenry Benedict StuartHenry Benedict Stuart was a Roman Catholic Cardinal, as well as the fourth and final Jacobite heir to publicly claim the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Unlike his father, James Francis Edward Stuart, and brother, Charles Edward Stuart, Henry made no effort to seize the throne...
(July 3, 1747) – Cardinal-Bishop of Frascati; commendatario of S. Lorenzo in Damaso; Vice-Chancellor of the Holy Roman Church; archpriest of the patriarchal Vatican Basilica
- Fabrizio SerbelloniFabrizio SerbelloniFabrizio Serbelloni was an Italian Cardinal. He was from a prominent family in Milan.He was a graduate of the University of Pavia, becoming doctor in utroque iure. He served as inquisitor general in Malta, in 1726....
(November 26, 1753) – Cardinal-Bishop of Albano
- Giovanni Francesco Stoppani (November 26, 1753) – Cardinal-Bishop of Palestrina
- Giuseppe PozzobonelliGiuseppe Pozzobonelli- Life :Pozzobonelli was born in Milan, which at the time was part of Duchy of Milan and under Spanish rule. Pozzobonelli was the son of a noble family, and lost his mother during childhood. He was educated by the Jesuits and he received his degree in law at Pavia university...
(September 9, 1743) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria sopra Minerva; archbishop of Milan
- Carlo Vittorio Amedeo delle Lanze (April 10, 1747) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Prassede; titular archbishop of Nicosia
- Vincenzo Malvezzi (November 26, 1753) – Cardinal-Priest of SS. Marcellino e Pietro; archbishop of Bologna
- Antonio Sersale (April 22, 1754) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Pudenziana; archbishop of Naples
- Francisco de Solís Folch de Cardona (April 5, 1756) – Cardinal-Priest of [no title assigned]; archbishop of Seville; Cardinal-protector of Spain
- Paul d'Albert de LuynesPaul d'Albert de LuynesPaul d'Albert de Luynes was a French prelate. He was elected the seventh occupant of Académie française seat 29 in 1743....
(April 5, 1756) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Tommaso in Parione; archbishop of Sens
- Carlo Rezzonico (September 11, 1758) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Clemente; Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church
- Antonio Maria Priuli (October 2, 1758) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Marco; bishop of Padua
- Fernando Maria de Rossi (September 24, 1759) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Cecilia; prefect of the S.C. of the Tridentine Council; Latin Patriarch of ConstantinopleLatin Patriarch of ConstantinopleThe Latin Patriarch of Constantinople was an office established as a result of Crusader activity in the Near East. The title should not be confused with that of the Patriarch of Constantinople, an office which existed before and after....
- Girolamo Spinola (September 24, 1759) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Balbina; legate in FerraraFerraraFerrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
- Giuseppe Maria Castelli (September 24, 1759) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Alessio; prefect of the S.C. for the Propagation of Faith
- Gaetano Fantuzzi (September 24, 1759) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Pietro in Vincoli; prefect of the S.C. of the Ecclesiestical Immunities
- Pietro Girolamo Guglielmi (September 24, 1759) – Cardinal-Priest of SS. Trinita al Monte Pincio; 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...
- Pietro Paolo de Conti (September 24, 1759) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Stefano al Monte Celio
- Lorenzo Ganganelli, O.F.M.Conv. (September 24, 1759) – Cardinal-Priest of SS. XII Apostoli
- Marcantonio Colonna (September 24, 1759) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria della Pace; Vicar General of Rome; prefect of the S.C. of the Residence of the Bishops; archpriest of the patriarchal Liberian Basilica
- Buenaventura de Córdoba Espínola de la Cerda (November 23, 1761) – Cardinal-Priest [no title assigned]; patriarch of the West IndiesPatriarch of the West IndiesThe Titular Patriarchate of the West Indies is a Latin Rite Titular Patriarchate of the Roman Catholic Church. It is vacant since the death of its last holder in 1963.-Attempt to create a jurisdictional Patriarchate in the Spanish Indies:...
; vicar general of the Spanish army and fleet
- Giovanni Molino (November 23, 1761) – Cardinal-Priest [no title assigned]; bishop of Brescia
- Simone Buonaccorsi (July 18, 1763) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Giovanni a Porta Latina
- Giovanni Ottavio Bufalini (July 21, 1766) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria degli Angeli; archbishop of Ancona
- Giovanni Carlo BoschiGiovanni Carlo BoschiGiovanni Carlo Boschi was an Italian clergyman who was made a cardinal by Pope Clement XIII in the consistory of 21 July 1766. He then served as Major Penitentiary from 1767 to 1788, and participated in the papal conclaves of 1774-75 and 1769...
(July 21, 1766) – Cardinal-Priest of SS. Giovanni e Paolo; Grand penitentiary; prefect of the Congregation for the correction of the books of the Oriental Church
- Ludovico Calini (September 26, 1766) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Anastasia; prefect of the S.C. of the Indulgences and Sacred Relics
- Antonio Colonna Branciforte (September 26, 1766) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria in Via
- Lazzaro Opizio Pallavicino (September 26, 1766) – Cardinal-Priest of SS. Nereo ed Achilleo; legate in BolognaBolognaBologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
- Vitaliano Borromeo (September 26, 1766) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria in Aracoeli; 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...
- Pietro Pamphili (September 26, 1766) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria in Trastevere
- Urbano Paracciani Rutili (September 26, 1766) – Cardinal-Priest of S. CallistoSan CallistoSan Callisto is a Roman Catholic titular church in Rome, Italy, built over the site of Saint Pope Callistus I and the location of his martyrdom. The original building dates form the time of Pope Gregory III who order the building of a church on the site. The church has been rebuilt twice since,...
; archbishop of Fermo
- Filippo Maria Pirelli (September 26, 1766) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Crisogono
- Alessandro Albani (July 16, 1721) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Maria in Via Lata; commendatario of S. Maria in Cosmedin; 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; Librarian of the Holy Roman Church; Cardinal-protector of Austria and the Kingdom of SardiniaKingdom of SardiniaThe Kingdom of Sardinia consisted of the island of Sardinia first as a part of the Crown of Aragon and subsequently the Spanish Empire , and second as a part of the composite state of the House of Savoy . Its capital was originally Cagliari, in the south of the island, and later Turin, on the...
- Neri Maria CorsiniNeri Maria CorsiniNeri Maria Corsini was an Italian nobleman and nephew of pope Clement XII, who made him a cardinal in pectore at the consistory of 14 August 1730 - his creation as cardinal was made public in December 1730. He exercised several roles in the Roman Curia, notably the Supreme Tribunal of the...
(August 14, 1730) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Eustachio; archpriest of the patriarchal Lateran Basilica; secretary 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...
; prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature of Justice; Cardinal-protector of Portugal
- Domenico Orsini d'Aragona (September 9, 1743) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Maria ad Martyres; Cardinal-protector of the Kingdom of NaplesKingdom of NaplesThe Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...
- Flavio II Chigi (November 26, 1753) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Maria in Portico; prefect of the S.C. of Rites
- Luigi Maria Torregiani (November 26, 1753) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Agata in Suburra; Cardinal Secretary of StateCardinal Secretary of StateThe Cardinal Secretary of State—officially Secretary of State of His Holiness The Pope—presides over the Holy See, usually known as the "Vatican", Secretariat of State, which is the oldest and most important dicastery of the Roman Curia...
- François-Joachim de Pierre de BernisFrançois-Joachim de Pierre de BernisFrançois-Joachim de Pierre de Bernis was a French cardinal and statesman. He was the sixth member elected to occupy seat 3 of the Académie française in 1744.- Biography :...
(October 2, 1758) – Cardinal-Deacon [no deaconry assigned]; Cardinal-protector of the Kingdom of France; archbishop of Albi
- Giovanni Costanzio Caracciolo (September 24, 1759) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Cesareo in Palatio; prefect of the Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature of Grace
- Nicola Perelli (September 24, 1759) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Giorgio in Velabro
- Andrea CorsiniAndrea Corsini (cardinal)Andrea Corsini was an Italian cardinal. A great-nephew of pope Clement XII and a nephew of cardinal Neri Maria Corsini. Pope Clement XIII made him a cardinal in the consistory of 24 September 1759...
(September 24, 1759) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Angelo in Pescheria
- Andrea Negroni (July 18, 1763) – Cardinal-Deacon of SS. Vito e Modesto; secretary of the Apostolic Briefs
- Saverio Canale (September 26, 1766) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Maria della Scala; commendatory abbotCommendatory abbotA commendatory abbot is an ecclesiastic, or sometimes a layman, who holds an abbey in commendam, drawing its revenues but not exercising any authority over its inner monastic discipline...
of SubiacoSubiaco, ItalySubiaco is a town and comune in the Province of Rome, in Lazio, Italy, from Tivoli alongside the river Aniene. It is mainly renowned as a tourist and religious resort for its sacred grotto , in the St. Benedict's Abbey, and the other Abbey of St. Scholastica...
- Benedetto Veterani (September 26, 1766) – Cardinal-Deacon of SS. Cosma e Damiano; prefect of the S.C. of Index
Twenty nine electors were created by Clement XIII, while fifteen by Pope Benedict XIV
Pope Benedict XIV
Pope Benedict XIV , born Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini, was Pope from 17 August 1740 to 3 May 1758.-Life:...
. Alessandro Albani received the red hat from Innocent XIII, and Neri Maria Corsini from Clement XII.
Absentees
- Giacomo Oddi (September 9, 1743) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Lorenzo in Lucina; 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; archbishop of Viterbo e Toscanella
- Carlo Francesco Durini (November 26, 1753) – Cardinal-Priest of SS. IV Coronati; archbishop of Pavia
- Luis Fernández de Córdoba (December 18, 1754) – Cardinal-Priest [no title assigned]; archbishop of Toledo
- Etienne-René Potier de Gesvres (April 5, 1756) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Agnese fuori le muraSant'Agnese fuori le muraThe church of Saint Agnes Outside the Wall is a titulus church, minor basilica in Rome, on a site sloping down from the Via Nomentana, which runs north-east out of the city, still under its ancient name. What is said to be the remains of Saint Agnes's are below the high altar...
; bishop of Beauvais
- Franz Konrad Casimir von Rodt (April 5, 1756) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria del Popolo; bishop of Constance
- Francisco de Saldanha da GamaFrancisco de Saldanha da GamaDom Francisco I de Saldanha da Gama was the third cardinal patriarch of Lisbon .He studied canon law at Coimbra and was appointed a cardinal by Pope Benedict XIV in 1756, and named Patriarch of Lisbon on July 25, 1758...
(April 5, 1756) – Cardinal-Priest [no title assigned]; patriarch of LisbonPatriarch of LisbonThe Patriarch of Lisbon is an honorary title possessed by the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Lisbon.The first patriarch of Lisbon was D. Tomás de Almeida, who was appointed in 1716 by Pope Clement XI...
- Christoph Anton von Migazzi von Waal und Sonnenthurn (November 23, 1761) – Cardinal-Priest [no title assigned]; archbishop of ViennaArchbishop of ViennaThe Archbishop of Vienna is the prelate of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna who is concurrently the metropolitan bishop of its ecclesiastical province which includes the dioceses of Eisenstadt, Linz and St. Pölten....
; administrator of the see of Vacz
- Antoine Clairiard de Choiseul de Beaupré (November 23, 1761) – Cardinal-Priest [no title assigned]; archbishop of Besançon
- Jean-François-Joseph Rochechouart (November 23, 1761) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Eusebio; bishop of Laon
- Franz Christoph Freiherr von Hutten zu Stolzenfels (November 23, 1761) – Cardinal-Priest [no title assigned]; bishop of SpeyerBishop of SpeyerThe Bishop of Speyer is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Speyer, which is a suffragan see of the Archdiocese of Bamberg.The diocese covers an area of 5,893 km².The current bishop is Karl-Heinz Wiesemann.-List of bishops:-References:...
- Louis-César-Constantine de Rohan-Guéménée (November 23, 1761) – Cardinal-Priest [no title assigned]; bishop of Strasbourg
Divisions in the College of Cardinals and the candidates to the papacy
The papal conclave in 1769 was almost completely dominated by the problem of the Society of JesusSociety of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
. The Sacred College of Cardinals
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...
was divided into two blocs: pro-Jesuits and anti-Jesuits, but several cardinals were neutral. The pro-Jesuit faction, called Zelanti
Zelanti
In Roman Catholicism, the expression zelanti has been applied to conservative members of the clergy and their lay supporters since the thirteenth century. Its specific connotations have shifted with each reapplication of the label...
, grouped Italian curial cardinals who opposed the secular influences on the Church. Their leaders were Gian Francesco and Alessandro Albani and 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...
of the deceased pope Carlo Rezzonico. The anti-Jesuit bloc (called also "court faction") grouped crown-cardinals of the Catholic Powers: France, Spain and Naples. Respectively ruled at the time by Louis XV of France
Louis XV of France
Louis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...
, Charles III of Spain
Charles III of Spain
Charles III was the King of Spain and the Spanish Indies from 1759 to 1788. He was the eldest son of Philip V of Spain and his second wife, the Princess Elisabeth Farnese...
and Ferdinand III of Sicily/Ferdinand IV of Naples
Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies
Ferdinand I reigned variously over Naples, Sicily, and the Two Sicilies from 1759 until his death. He was the third son of King Charles III of Spain by his wife Maria Amalia of Saxony. On 10 August 1759, Charles succeeded his elder brother, Ferdinand VI, as King Charles III of Spain...
. In spite of the national divisions they worked together for the main goal – suppression of the Society of Jesus. The Bourbon courts had decided to put the official leadership of this bloc in the hands of the French Cardinal de Bernis. He and his colleagues were instructed to block every pro-Jesuit candidature, even with the official exclusion if necessary. Several cardinals, among them Lorenzo Ganganelli, did not belong to either faction.
The Spanish and Neapolitan governments had classified forty three Italian cardinals into five categories: "good" (eleven cardinals), "indifferent" (eight), "doubtful" (three), "bad" (fifteen) and "very bad" (six):
| "Good" | "Indifferent" | "Doubtful" | "Bad" | "Very bad" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Sersale 2. Cavalchini 3. Negroni 4. Durini 5. N. Corsini 6. Conti 7. Branciforte 8. Caracciolo 9. A. Corsini 10. Ganganelli 11. Pirelli |
1. Guglielmi 2. Canale 3. Pozzobonelli 4. Perelli 5. Malvezzi 6. Pallavicini 7. Stuart 8. Pamphili |
1. Lante 2. Stoppani 3. Serbelloni |
1. Oddi 2. A. Albani 3. Rossi 4. Calini 5. Veterani 6. Molino 7. Priuli 8. Bufalini 9. Lanze 10. Spinola 11. Paracciani 12. G.F. Albani 13. Borromeo 14. Colonna 15. Fantuzzi |
1. Torregiani 2. Castelli 3. Buonaccorsi 4. Chigi 5. Boschi 6. Rezzonico |
Cardinal Orsini, the official representative of the Neapolitan court, and all the foreigners, were not classified because it was certain that none of them would be ever elected pope.
The French government was more fastidious than Spanish and Neapolitan. Only three cardinals were considered good candidates: Conti, Durini and Ganganelli
Out of these 43 cardinals only 27 or 28 were actually considered 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...
, while the remaining 15 were excluded due to their age or health.
Conclave
Kingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...
and the only crown-cardinal present in the early ballots, was able to join some neutral cardinals to block Chigi’s candidature.
An unprecedented event was the visit of Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
, who arrived incognito in Rome on March 6 and was allowed to enter the conclave. He stayed there two weeks, freely debating with the electors. Fortunately, he did not press them but only expressed the wish for the election of a pope who would be able to carry out his duties with the proper respect for the secular rulers.
Cardinal de Bernis entered the conclave at the end of March and took the leadership of the anti-Jesuit faction from the hands of Cardinal Orsini, who could have blocked Zelanti’s actions only with the great difficulties. Bernis immediately established a regular correspondence with French ambassador Marquis d'Aubeterre, which was in violation of the fundamental law of the conclave. Ambassadors of France and Spain urged Bernis to insist that the election of the future pope be made to depend on his written engagement to suppress the Jesuits. Bernis refused, answering that demanding from the future pope a written or oral promise to destroy the Society of Jesus would be in violation of the canon law. In spite of this refusal, during the next few weeks Bernis consecutively rejected all candidates proposed by Zelanti as too devoted to the Jesuits. In this way twenty-three out of twenty-eight 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...
were eliminated, among them strongly pro-Jesuit Cardinal Fantuzzi, who at some point was very close to achieving election to the papal throne, as well as Cavalchini, Colonna, Stoppani, Pozzobonelli, Sersale, and several others.
The arrival of Spanish cardinals Solis and de la Cerda on April 27 strengthened the anti-Jesuit party. They also violated the law of the conclave by establishing regular correspondence with Spanish ambassador Azpuru. The Spaniards had fewer scruples than Bernis and, supported by Cardinal Malvezzi, took the matter into their own hands. They paid attention to the only friar in the Sacred College, Cardinal Lorenzo Ganganelli
Pope Clement XIV
Pope Clement XIV , born Giovanni Vincenzo Antonio Ganganelli, was Pope from 1769 to 1774. At the time of his election, he was the only Franciscan friar in the College of Cardinals.-Early life:...
, O.F.M.Conv
Conventual Franciscans
The Order of Friars Minor Conventual , commonly known as the Conventual Franciscans, is a branch of the order of Catholic Friars founded by Francis of Assisi in 1209.-History:...
. The attitude of Ganganelli towards the Jesuits was a great mystery – he had been educated by the Jesuits and it was said that he received the red hat at the instance of Father Lorenzo Ricci
Lorenzo Ricci
Lorenzo Ricci was an Italian Jesuit, elected the 18th Superior General of the Society of Jesus. He was also the last before the suppression of the Jesuits in 1773.-Early Life and career:Ricci was born in Florence, Italy...
, general of the Society of Jesus, but during the pontificate of Clement XIII he did not engage himself in the defence of the Order. Cardinal Solis began by sounding him out as to his willingness to give the promise required by the Bourbon princes as an indispensable condition for election. Ganganelli answered that "he recognized in the sovereign pontiff the right to extinguish, with good conscience, the Society of Jesus, provided he observed the canon law; and that it was desirable that the pope should do everything in his power to satisfy the wishes of the Crowns". It is not certain whether it was a written or only an oral promise, but this declaration fully satisfied the ambassadors.
In the same time Zelanti, also began to incline to give their support to Ganganelli, looking upon him as indifferent or even favourable to the Jesuits. It seems that the attitude of Zelanti was decided by the secret negotiations between their leaders Alessandro and Gian Francesco Albani and the Spanish cardinals. Cardinal de Bernis, the nominal leader of the court faction, probably did not play any role in the appointment of Ganganelli and only followed the instructions of Marquis d'Aubeterre when all had been already known.
Results of the ballots
- April 27 – Fantuzzi – 10; Colonna – 9; Pozzobonelli – 6; Stoppani – 5; Ganganelli – 5
- April 28 – Fantuzzi – 9; Colonna – 9; Pozzobonelli – 7; Stoppani – 6; Ganganelli – 4
- April 29 – Colonna – 11; Fantuzzi – 8; Stoppani – 5; Pozzobonelli – 4; Ganganelli – 4
- April 30 – Colonna – 11; Fantuzzi – 8; Stoppani – 5; Pozzobonelli – 4; Ganganelli – 4
- May 1 – Colonna – 11; Fantuzzi – 9; Stoppani – 4; Pozzobonelli – 4; Ganganelli – 4
- May 2 – Colonna – 11; Fantuzzi – 9; Stoppani – 4; Pozzobonelli – 4; Ganganelli – 4
- May 3 – Colonna – 9; Fantuzzi – 9; Stoppani – 5; Pozzobonelli – 4; Ganganelli – 4
- May 4 – Colonna – 10; Fantuzzi – 9; Stoppani – 4; Ganganelli – 4; Pozzobonelli – 2
- May 5 – Fantuzzi – 10; Colonna – 9; Stoppani – 4; Ganganelli – 4; Pozzobonelli – 3
- May 6 – Fantuzzi – 11; Stoppani – 7; Colonna – 6; Ganganelli – 4; Pozzobonelli – 4
- May 7 – Colonna – 8; Fantuzzi – 7; Stoppani – 6; Ganganelli – 4; Pozzobonelli – 4
- May 8 – Colonna – 9; Stoppani – 6; Fantuzzi – 5; Ganganelli – 4; Pozzobonelli – 3
- May 9 – Colonna – 11; Stoppani – 6; Fantuzzi – 5; Pozzobonelli – 4; Ganganelli – 3
- May 10 – Colonna – 11; Stoppani – 7; Pozzobonelli – 5; Fantuzzi – 4; Ganganelli – 4
- May 11 – Colonna – 11; Pozzobonelli – 6; Stoppani – 5; Ganganelli – 5; Fantuzzi – 3
- May 12 – Colonna – 11; Pozzobonelli – 6; Stoppani – 6; Ganganelli – 6; Fantuzzi – 5
- May 13 – Colonna – 13; Stoppani – 7; Pozzobonelli – 6; Ganganelli – 5; Fantuzzi – 5
- May 14 – Colonna – 11; Ganganelli – 10; Pozzobonelli – 9; Stoppani – 8; Fantuzzi – 4
- May 15 – Colonna – 11; Stoppani – 11; Ganganelli – 10; Pozzobonelli – 9; Fantuzzi – 5
- May 16 – Colonna – 11; Ganganelli – 10; Pozzobonelli – 8; Stoppani – 8; Fantuzzi – 4
- May 17 – Colonna – 12; Pozzobonelli – 12; Ganganelli – 10; Stoppani – 5; Fantuzzi – 1
- May 18 – Ganganelli – 19; Colonna – 13; Pozzobonelli – 11; Stoppani – 6; Fantuzzi – 1
Election of Clement XIV
In the final ballot on May 19, 1769 Cardinal Lorenzo Ganganelli was elected to the papacy receiving all votes except of his own, which he gave to Carlo Rezzonico, nephew of Clement XIII and one of the leaders of Zelanti. He took the name of Clement XIV, in honour of Clement XIII, who had elevated him to the cardinalate.On May 28 the new pope was consecrated to the episcopate by Cardinal Federico Marcello Lante, bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina and sub-dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals, assisted by Cardinals Gian Francesco Albani
Gian Francesco Albani
Gian Francesco Albani was a Roman Catholic Cardinal. He was a member of the Albani family.Albani was born in Rome, the son of Carlo Albani, Duke of Soriano; his grand-uncle was Pope Clement XI...
, bishop of Sabina and Henry Benedict Stuart
Henry Benedict Stuart
Henry Benedict Stuart was a Roman Catholic Cardinal, as well as the fourth and final Jacobite heir to publicly claim the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Unlike his father, James Francis Edward Stuart, and brother, Charles Edward Stuart, Henry made no effort to seize the throne...
, bishop of Frascati. On June 4 he was solemnly crowned
Papal Coronation
A papal coronation was the ceremony of the placing of the Papal Tiara on a newly elected pope. The first recorded papal coronation was that of Pope Celestine II in 1143. Soon after his coronation in 1963, Pope Paul VI abandoned the practice of wearing the tiara. His successors have chosen not to...
by Cardinal Alessandro Albani, protodeacon of S. Maria in Via Lata
Sources
- Salvador Miranda conclave of 1769
- The Catholic Encyclopedia: Clement XIV
- The Triple Crown. An Account of the Papal Conclaves Ambrogio Piazzoni "Historia wyboru papieży", Wyd. M, Kraków 2003 Kazimierz Dopierała "Księga papieży", Wyd. Pallotinum, Poznań 1996
- "Clement XIV and the Jesuits" in: E. Littell: Littell’s Living Age, vol. XVIII, E. Littell & Company, Boston 1848 (a review of the book of J. Crétineau Joly, "Clément XIV et les Jésuites", Paris 1847)
- "Pope Ganganelli and the Jesuits" in: The English Review, vol. VIII, September–December 1847, Francis & John Rivington, London (another review of the same book)
- Alexis François Artaud de Montor, The lives and times of the popes, vol. 7, The Catholic Publication Society of America, 1911
- John Paul Adams Sede Vacante 1769