Papal conclave, 1721
Encyclopedia
The Papal conclave March 31 – May 8, 1721, convoked after the death of Pope Clement XI
, was the conclave that elected to the Papacy Cardinal Michelangelo de' Conti, who took the name of Innocent XIII.
died on March 19, 1721 in the twenty-first year of his pontificate at the age of 71. At the time of his death there were sixty-eight cardinals in the Sacred College. Fifty-six of them participated in the subsequent conclave, but Giovanni Battista Cardinal Salerni had to leave it because of illness, leaving fifty-five electors in the final ballot:
Forty four electors were created by Clement XI, five by Innocent XII, five by Alexander VIII, one by Innocent XI (Pamphili) and one by Clement X (Orsini).
All the absentees were creatures of Clement XI, except Marescotti, who was appointed cardinal by Clement X, and Noailles, who was named by Innocent XII.
was divided into four factions, two political and two curial.. The Imperial faction, the strongest faction in the Sacred College, was headed by Imperial minister Althan; its strength was estimated between twenty and twenty five votes. They represented the interests of Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
.
The Bourbon faction, the group of cardinals who defended the interests of the two Catholic powers ruled by Bourbon
kings — France
and Spain
— included eleven or twelve cardinals. They represented the interests of Louis XV of France
and Philip V of Spain
.
The Clementine party formed the third faction; Annibale Albani
, Cardinal-nephew
of Clement XI, was leader of the group of cardinals created by his uncle. Their number was estimated between eight and fifteen. Finally, the Zelanti
formed the party of cardinals who opposed the secular influences on the Church. Their leader was Cardinal Fabroni. Its strength was estimated between six and twelve.
It was generally expected that the two curial factions, the Clementine and the Zelanti, would join their forces in the conclave.
was regarded as the general favourite. He was supported by Austria and had also many adherents among the Zelanti
. Annibale Albani officially supported the candidate of Austria, but actually wanted to elect Fabrizio Paolucci
, secretary of state of his uncle. Other candidates with serious chances for the election were Corsini, Tanara, Conti, Pamphili, Barbarigo and Gozzadini.
. It was decided, however, that they should be invited to the conclave. Cardinal Noailles excused himself because of advanced age and poor health.
Another problem concerned Cardinal Vice-Chancellor Ottoboni: he was not yet ordained. But eventually he was also allowed to participate in the conclave.
Cardinal Annibale Albani
, taking advantage of the small number of electors (mostly curial cardinals created by his uncle), tried to achieve a quick election of his candidate, Fabrizio Paolucci
. In the first scrutiny conducted on April 1 in the morning Paolucci received eight votes in the ballot and two additional in the accessus
. In the second scrutiny in the evening of the same day Paolucci was only three votes short of being elected. But at that time Cardinal Althan (the only Crown-Cardinal present in the early ballots) in the name of Emperor Charles VI
pronounced the official exclusion against Paolucci.
The Imperial veto was very successful. On April 2 in the morning not a single vote fell to the Cardinal Secretary of State
. On that same day the French Cardinal Rohan entered the conclave. He thanked Althan for his action against Paolucci.
During April several candidates were proposed — Spada, Gozzadini, Cornaro, Caracciolo — but none of them had been able to secure significant support. On April 20 Cardinal Cienfuegos arrived with the fresh instructions of the Imperial Court. At the end of this month it became clear that the best chances for the election was Cardinal Conti, proposed by the French faction. On April 25 Conti obtained seven votes. The Imperial faction, however, still awaited for arrival of their main candidate Pignatelli, and had instructions to vote for Conti only in the last instance. But when Pignatelli eventually joined the electors on May 1, Spain officially excluded his candidature. The collapse of Pignatelli was decisive: the Imperial faction, admitting the impossibility of electing his candidate, agreed to vote for Conti. In the subsequent days the curial factions also promised their support for Conti.
, Dean of the College of Cardinals
. He accepted his election and took the name of Innocent XIII, in honour of Pope Innocent III
, also of the Conti family. A little bit later Protodeacon Benedetto Pamphili
announced his election to the people of Rome
with the ancient formula Habemus Papam
, and on May 18 he solemnly crowned
him in the steps of the patriarchal Vatican Basilica.
Pope Clement XI
Pope Clement XI , born Giovanni Francesco Albani, was Pope from 1700 until his death in 1721.-Early life:...
, was the conclave that elected to the Papacy Cardinal Michelangelo de' Conti, who took the name of Innocent XIII.
List of participants
Pope Clement XIPope Clement XI
Pope Clement XI , born Giovanni Francesco Albani, was Pope from 1700 until his death in 1721.-Early life:...
died on March 19, 1721 in the twenty-first year of his pontificate at the age of 71. At the time of his death there were sixty-eight cardinals in the Sacred College. Fifty-six of them participated in the subsequent conclave, but Giovanni Battista Cardinal Salerni had to leave it because of illness, leaving fifty-five electors in the final ballot:
- Sebastiano Antonio TanaraSebastiano Antonio TanaraSebastiano Antonio Tanara was an Italian cardinal.He studied law at the university of Bologna. He was internuncio in Flanders and as, such, he was sent with secret mission to king James II of England, who had converted to Catholicism...
(created cardinal on December 12, 1695) – 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 the Ecclesiestical Immunities
- Vincenzo Maria OrsiniPope Benedict XIII-Footnotes:...
, O.P. (February 22, 1672) – Cardinal-Bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina; Sub-dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals; Administrator of BeneventoBeneventoBenevento 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...
- Francesco del GiudiceFrancesco del GiudiceFrancesco del Giudice was a Roman Catholic cardinal from 1690 to 1725 who also held a variety of other ecclesiastical and governmental offices.-Biography:...
(February 13, 1690) – Cardinal-Bishop of Frascati; Administrator of MonrealeMonrealeMonreale is a town and comune in the province of Palermo, in Sicily, Italy, on the slope of Monte Caputo, overlooking the very fertile valley called "La Conca d'oro" , famed for its orange, olive and almond trees, the produce of which is exported in large quantities...
; 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...
; Cardinal-protector of 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...
- Fabrizio PaolucciFabrizio PaolucciFabrizio Paolucci was a Italian cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church, appointed by Pope Innocent XII.-Biography:He went to Rome at the age of eight, 1659, to be educated by his grand-uncle, Francesco Paolucci...
(July 22, 1697) – Cardinal-Bishop of Albano; 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...
; Grand penitentiary; Prefect of the S.C. of Rites
- Francesco PignatelliFrancesco PignatelliFrancesco Pignatelli was an Italian cardinal.He entered the order of Theatines in 1665. On September 27, 1684 he was elected archbishop of Taranto. On February 19, 1703 he was transferred to the metropolitan see of Naples and occupied it until his death. Apostolic nuncio in Poland 1700-03...
, Theat. (December 17, 1703) – Cardinal-Bishop of Sabina; Archbishop of Naples
- Francesco Barberini (November 13, 1690) – Cardinal-Bishop of Palestrina
- Jacopo Boncompagni (December 12, 1695) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria in Via; Archbishop of Bologna
- Giuseppe Sacripanti (December 12, 1695) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Prassede; Prefect of the S.C. for the Propagation of FaithCongregation for the Evangelization of PeoplesThe Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in Rome is the congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for missionary work and related activities...
; Pro-Datary of His Holiness
- Giorgio CornaroGiorgio CornaroNobil Huomo Giorgio Cornaro, called "Padre della Patria" , Cavaliere del Sacro Romano Impero, Patrizio Veneto, Podesta of Brescia in 1496, Procurator of San Marco....
(July 22, 1697) – Cardinal-Priest of SS. XII Apostoli; Archbishop of Padua
- Lorenzo Corsini (May 17, 1706) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Pietro in Vincoli; Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature of Justice; Cardinal-protector of the Orders of Franciscans and Servites
- Francesco Acquaviva d'Aragona (May 17, 1706) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Cecilia; Cardinal-protector of the Kingdom of Spain
- Tommaso RuffoTommaso RuffoTommaso Ruffo was an Italian archbishop of Ferrara and Cardinal.-Life:He was born in Naples, son of Carlo Ruffo, 3rd Duke of Bagnara. He was educated at La Sapienza University, becoming a doctor of canon and civil law...
(May 17, 1706) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria in Trastevere; Archbishop of Ferrara
- Orazio Filippo Spada (May 17, 1706) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Onofrio; Archbishop of Osimo
- Filippo Antonio GualterioFilippo Antonio Gualterio (cardinal)Filippo Antonio Gualterio was made a papal nuncio to France and cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church from 1706....
(May 17, 1706) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Crisogono; Cardinal-protector of EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and 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...
- Giuseppe Vallemani (May 17, 1706) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria degli Angelli alla Terme
- Giandomenico Parraciani (May 17, 1706) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Anastasia; Vicar General of Rome
- Carlo Agostino Fabroni (May 17, 1706) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Agostino; Prefect of the S.C. of Index
- Pietro Priuli (May 17, 1706) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Marco; Bishop of Bergamo
- Michelangelo de' Conti (June 7, 1706) – Cardinal-Priest of SS. Quirico e Giulitta; 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...
- Ulisse Giuseppe GozzadiniUlisse Giuseppe GozzadiniUlisse Giuseppe Gozzadini was an Italian Cardinal who served as bishop of Imola.Gozzadini was born in Bologna and was of a patrician family. He was the son of Palatine Count Marcantonio Gozzadini and Ginevra Leoni...
(April 15, 1709) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Croce in Gerusalemme; Archbishop of Imola
- Ludovico Picco della Mirandola (May 18, 1712) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Silvestro in Capite; Archbishop of SenigalliaSenigalliaSenigallia is a comune and port town on Italy's Adriatic coast, 25 km by rail north of Ancona, in the Marche region, province of Ancona....
- Givanantonio Davia (May 18, 1712) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Callisto; Archbishop of RiminiRiminiRimini is a medium-sized city of 142,579 inhabitants in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, and capital city of the Province of Rimini. It is located on the Adriatic Sea, on the coast between the rivers Marecchia and Ausa...
- Agostino Cusani (May 18, 1712) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria del Popolo; Archbishop of PaviaPaviaPavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
- Giulio Piazza (May 18, 1712) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Lorenzo in Panisperna; Archbishop of FaenzaFaenzaFaenza is an Italian city and comune, in the province of Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, situated 50 km southeast of Bologna.Faenza is noted for its manufacture of majolica ware glazed earthenware pottery, known from the name of the town as "faience"....
- Antonio Felice Zondadari (May 18, 1712) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Balbina
- Giovanni Battista BussiGiovanni Battista Bussi (1656-1726)Giovanni Battista Bussi was an Italian cardinal.-Life:Born in the Papal States to a family which provided many ecclesiastics, Giovanni studied at the archiginnasio della Sapienza and in 1691 was granted a canonry in St Peter's Basilica and entrusted with the management of the Arcispedale di Santo...
(May 18, 1712) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria in Aracoeli; Archbishop of AnconaAnconaAncona is a city and a seaport in the Marche region, in central Italy, with a population of 101,909 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region....
- Pier Marcellino Corradini (May 18, 1712) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Giovanni a Porta Latina; Prefect of the S.C. of the Tridentine Council
- Armand-Gaston de Rohan-Soubise (May 18, 1712) – Cardinal-Priest of [no title assigned]; Bishop of StrasbourgStrasbourgStrasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
- Wolfgang Hannibal von Schrattenbach (May 18, 1712) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Marcello; Bishop of OlomoucOlomoucOlomouc is a city in Moravia, in the east of the Czech Republic. The city is located on the Morava river and is the ecclesiastical metropolis and historical capital city of Moravia. Nowadays, it is an administrative centre of the Olomouc Region and sixth largest city in the Czech Republic...
; Protector of Germany
- Giovanni Battista TolomeiGiovanni Battista TolomeiGiovanni Battista Tolomei was an Italian Jesuit theologian and Cardinal.-Life:...
, S.J. (May 18, 1712) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Stefano al Monte Celio; Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals
- Benedetto Odescacalchi Erba (January 30, 1713) – Cardinal-Priest of SS. Nereo ed Achilleo; Archbishop of Milan
- Henri Thiard de Bissy (May 29, 1715) – Cardinal-Priest of [no title assigned]; Bishop of Meaux
- Innico Caracciolo (May 29, 1715) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Tommaso in Parione; Bishop of Aversa
- Bernardino Scotti (May 29, 1715) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Pietro in Montorio
- Niccolò Caracciolo (December 16, 1715) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Martino ai Monti; Archbishop of Capua
- Giovanni Battista Patrizi (December 16, 1715) – Cardinal-Priest of SS. IV Coronati; Legate in Ferrara
- Nicolò Gaetano Spinola (December 16, 1715) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Sisto
- Giberto Bartolomeo Borromeo (March 15, 1717) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Alessio; Bishop of Novara; Latin Patriarch of AntiochLatin Patriarch of AntiochThe Latin Patriarch of Antioch was an office created in 1098 by Bohemund, founder of the Principality of Antioch, one of the crusader states....
- Imre CsákyImre CsákyImre Csáky was a Hungarian Roman Catholic cardinal.-Biography:Csáky was born in Spiš Castle , a fief of his family. He studied in Košice, Vienna and Rome and was ordained priest, starting his eclessiastical career in Eger and then in Košice and Esztergom...
(July 12, 1717) – Cardinal-Priest [no title assigned]; Archbishop of Kalocsa-Bács
- Giorgio Spinola (November 29, 1719) – 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...
- Cornelio BentivoglioCornelio BentivoglioCornelio Bentivoglio was an Italian nobleman and cardinal.Born at Ferrara to the powerful Bentivoglio family, he went to Rome at an early age and was appointed Archbishop of Carthage....
(November 29, 1719) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Girolamo degli Schiavoni; 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...
- Thomas Philip Wallrad d'Hénin-Liétard d'Alsace-Boussu de Chimay (November 29, 1719) – Cardinal-Priest [no title assigned]; Archbishop of Mechelen
- Gianfrancesco Barbarigo (November 29, 1719) – Cardinal-Priest [no title assigned]; Bishop of Brescia
- Michael Friedrich Althan (November 29, 1719) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Sabina; Bishop of VácVácVác is a town in Pest county in Hungary with approximately 35,000 inhabitants. The archaic spellings of the name are Vacz and Vacs.-Location:...
- Giovanni Battista Salerni, S.J. (November 29, 1719) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Prisca
- Álvaro Cienfuegos Villazón, S.J. (September 30, 1720) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Bartolomeo all’Isola; Bishop of Catania
- Benedetto PamphiliBenedetto PamphiliBenedetto Pamphili was an Italian cardinal, patron of the arts, composer and librettist.-Life:...
, O.S.Io.Hieros. (September 1, 1681) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Maria in Via Lata; 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; Archpriest of the patriarchal Lateran Basilica; Prefect of the Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature of Grace
- Pietro Ottoboni (November 7, 1689) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Lorenzo in Damaso; Vice-Chancellor of the Holy Roman Church; Archpriest of the patriarchal Liberian Basilica; 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...
- Giuseppe Renato Imperiali (February 13, 1690) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Giorgio in Velabro; Prefect of the S.C. of Good Government; Prefect of the S.C. of Religious Discipline
- Lorenzo Altieri (February 13, 1690) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Agata in Suburra
- Carlo Colonna (May 17, 1706) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Angelo in Pescheria
- Annibale AlbaniAnnibale AlbaniAnnibale Albani was an Italian Cardinal.Albani was born in Urbino, to Albanian parents. A cousin of Pope Clement XI, he became Cardinal Bishop of Sabina ....
(December 23, 1711) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Maria in Cosmedin; Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church; Archpriest of the patriarchal Vatican Basilica; Governor of FrascatiFrascatiFrascati is a town and comune in the province of Rome in the Lazio region of central Italy. It is located south-east of Rome, on the Alban Hills close to the ancient city of Tusculum. Frascati is closely associated with science, being the location of several international scientific...
and Castelgandolfo; Cardinal-protector of the Kingdom of Poland; ambassador of AustriaAustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
before the Holy SeeHoly SeeThe 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...
- Curzio Origo (May 18, 1712) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Eustachio
- Damian Hugo Philipp von Schönborn (January 30, 1713) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Nicola in Carcere Tulliano; Bishop of SpeyerSpeyerSpeyer is a city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. Located beside the river Rhine, Speyer is 25 km south of Ludwigshafen and Mannheim. Founded by the Romans, it is one of Germany's oldest cities...
- Fabio Olivieri (May 6, 1715) – Cardinal-Deacon of SS. Vito e Modesto; Secretary of Apostolic Briefs
- Giulio AlberoniGiulio AlberoniGiulio Alberoni was an Italian cardinal andstatesman in the service of Philip V of Spain.-Early years:He was born near Piacenza, probably at the village of Fiorenzuola d'Arda in the Duchy of Parma....
(July 12, 1717) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Adriano; Bishop of Málaga
Forty four electors were created by Clement XI, five by Innocent XII, five by Alexander VIII, one by Innocent XI (Pamphili) and one by Clement X (Orsini).
Absentee cardinals
Twelve cardinals were absent from the election- Galeazzo Marescotti (May 27, 1675) – 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
- Louis-Antoine de Noailles (June 21, 1700) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria sopra Minerva; Archbishop of ParisArchbishop of ParisThe Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Paris is one of twenty-three archdioceses of the Roman Catholic Church in France. The original diocese is traditionally thought to have been created in the 3rd century by St. Denis and corresponded with the Civitas Parisiorum; it was elevated to an archdiocese on...
- Lorenzo Fieschi (May 17, 1706) – Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria della Pace; Archbishop of Genoa
- Christian August von Sachsen-Zeitz (May 17, 1706) – Cardinal-Priest [no title assigned]; Archbishop of Esztergom; Administrator of Györ; Cardinal-protector of GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
; Supreme Chancellor of the Kingdom of Hungary
- Nuno da Cunha e Attaíde (May 18, 1712) – Cardinal-Priest [no title assigned]; 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...
; Titular Bishop of Targa
- Léon Potier de Gesvres (November 29, 1719) – Cardinal-Priest [no title assigned]; Archbishop of Bourges
- François de MaillyFrançois de MaillyFrançois de Mailly was a French archbishop and Cardinal.Born at Nesle, he had ultramontane views, and was a stern opponent of Jansenism. He was a critic of Jean Meslier.He was Archbishop of Arles from 1697, then Archbishop of Reims from 1710....
(November 29, 1719) – Cardinal-Priest [no title assigned];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...
- Luis Antonio Belluga y MoncadaLuis Antonio Belluga y MoncadaLuis Antonio Belluga y Moncada was a prominent Spanish churchman during the 18th century.Born in Motril, Granada province, he was ordained at the age of 14...
(November 29, 1719) – Cardinal-Priest [no title assigned]; Bishop of CartagenaCartagena, SpainCartagena is a Spanish city and a major naval station located in the Region of Murcia, by the Mediterranean coast, south-eastern Spain. As of January 2011, it has a population of 218,210 inhabitants being the Region’s second largest municipality and the country’s 6th non-Province capital...
- José Pereira de la Cerda (November 29, 1719) – Cardinal-Priest [no title assigned]; Bishop of FaroRoman Catholic Diocese of Faro-History:A see in the Algarve region was founded at Ossonoba in 306. After the Islamic conquest, this place fell, and in 688, the see was suppressed. It was re-established in 1188 at Siloes, and in 1218 was made suffragan to the archdiocese of Braga, then to the archdiocese of Seville, in 1393 to...
- Carlos de Borja-Centelles y Ponce de León (September 30, 1720) – 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:...
; Titular Archbishop of Trebizond
- Melchior de PolignacMelchior de PolignacMelchior de Polignac was a French diplomat, Roman Catholic cardinal and neo-Latin poet.A younger son of Armand XVI, marquis de Polignac, he was born at Lavoûte-sur-Loire, Haute-Loire, Auvergne. At an early age he achieved distinction as a diplomat...
(May 18, 1712) – Cardinal-Deacon [no deaconry assigned]
- Carlo Maria Marini (May 29, 1715) – Cardinal-Deacon of S. Maria in Aquiro
All the absentees were creatures of Clement XI, except Marescotti, who was appointed cardinal by Clement X, and Noailles, who was named by Innocent XII.
Divisions in the College of Cardinals
The 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 four factions, two political and two curial.. The Imperial faction, the strongest faction in the Sacred College, was headed by Imperial minister Althan; its strength was estimated between twenty and twenty five votes. They represented the interests of Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles VI was the penultimate Habsburg sovereign of the Habsburg Empire. He succeeded his elder brother, Joseph I, as Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia , Hungary and Croatia , Archduke of Austria, etc., in 1711...
.
The Bourbon faction, the group of cardinals who defended the interests of the two Catholic powers ruled by Bourbon
House 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...
kings — 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...
and 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...
— included eleven or twelve cardinals. They represented the interests of 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...
and Philip V of Spain
Philip V of Spain
Philip V was King of Spain from 15 November 1700 to 15 January 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son Louis, and from 6 September 1724, when he assumed the throne again upon his son's death, to his death.Before his reign, Philip occupied an exalted place in the royal family of France as a...
.
The Clementine party formed the third faction; Annibale Albani
Annibale Albani
Annibale Albani was an Italian Cardinal.Albani was born in Urbino, to Albanian parents. A cousin of Pope Clement XI, he became Cardinal Bishop of Sabina ....
, 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 Clement XI, was leader of the group of cardinals created by his uncle. Their number was estimated between eight and fifteen. Finally, the 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...
formed the party of cardinals who opposed the secular influences on the Church. Their leader was Cardinal Fabroni. Its strength was estimated between six and twelve.
It was generally expected that the two curial factions, the Clementine and the Zelanti, would join their forces in the conclave.
Papabili
As many as thirty cardinals were considered papabili, but among them Francesco PignatelliFrancesco Pignatelli
Francesco Pignatelli was an Italian cardinal.He entered the order of Theatines in 1665. On September 27, 1684 he was elected archbishop of Taranto. On February 19, 1703 he was transferred to the metropolitan see of Naples and occupied it until his death. Apostolic nuncio in Poland 1700-03...
was regarded as the general favourite. He was supported by Austria and had also many adherents among the 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...
. Annibale Albani officially supported the candidate of Austria, but actually wanted to elect Fabrizio Paolucci
Fabrizio Paolucci
Fabrizio Paolucci was a Italian cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church, appointed by Pope Innocent XII.-Biography:He went to Rome at the age of eight, 1659, to be educated by his grand-uncle, Francesco Paolucci...
, secretary of state of his uncle. Other candidates with serious chances for the election were Corsini, Tanara, Conti, Pamphili, Barbarigo and Gozzadini.
Excomunicated cardinals
At the time of death of Pope Clement XI two cardinals, Giulio Alberoni and Noailles, were excommunicatedExcommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
. It was decided, however, that they should be invited to the conclave. Cardinal Noailles excused himself because of advanced age and poor health.
Another problem concerned Cardinal Vice-Chancellor Ottoboni: he was not yet ordained. But eventually he was also allowed to participate in the conclave.
Conclave
Only twenty-seven cardinals entered the conclave on March 31 By April 9 the number of electors reached only forty. Two last cardinals Thomas Philip Wallrad d'Hénin-Liétard d'Alsace-Boussu de Chimay and Damian Hugo Philipp von Schönborn arrived only on May 7.Cardinal Annibale Albani
Annibale Albani
Annibale Albani was an Italian Cardinal.Albani was born in Urbino, to Albanian parents. A cousin of Pope Clement XI, he became Cardinal Bishop of Sabina ....
, taking advantage of the small number of electors (mostly curial cardinals created by his uncle), tried to achieve a quick election of his candidate, Fabrizio Paolucci
Fabrizio Paolucci
Fabrizio Paolucci was a Italian cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church, appointed by Pope Innocent XII.-Biography:He went to Rome at the age of eight, 1659, to be educated by his grand-uncle, Francesco Paolucci...
. In the first scrutiny conducted on April 1 in the morning Paolucci received eight votes in the ballot and two additional in the accessus
Accessus
Accessus is a term applied to the voting in conclave for the election of a pope, by which a cardinal changes his vote and accedes to some other candidate. Accessus voting was first used in the papal conclave, 1455...
. In the second scrutiny in the evening of the same day Paolucci was only three votes short of being elected. But at that time Cardinal Althan (the only Crown-Cardinal present in the early ballots) in the name of Emperor Charles VI
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles VI was the penultimate Habsburg sovereign of the Habsburg Empire. He succeeded his elder brother, Joseph I, as Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia , Hungary and Croatia , Archduke of Austria, etc., in 1711...
pronounced the official exclusion against Paolucci.
The Imperial veto was very successful. On April 2 in the morning not a single vote fell to the Cardinal Secretary of State
Cardinal Secretary of State
The 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...
. On that same day the French Cardinal Rohan entered the conclave. He thanked Althan for his action against Paolucci.
During April several candidates were proposed — Spada, Gozzadini, Cornaro, Caracciolo — but none of them had been able to secure significant support. On April 20 Cardinal Cienfuegos arrived with the fresh instructions of the Imperial Court. At the end of this month it became clear that the best chances for the election was Cardinal Conti, proposed by the French faction. On April 25 Conti obtained seven votes. The Imperial faction, however, still awaited for arrival of their main candidate Pignatelli, and had instructions to vote for Conti only in the last instance. But when Pignatelli eventually joined the electors on May 1, Spain officially excluded his candidature. The collapse of Pignatelli was decisive: the Imperial faction, admitting the impossibility of electing his candidate, agreed to vote for Conti. In the subsequent days the curial factions also promised their support for Conti.
Election of Pope Innocent XIII
On May 8 in the morning, in the seventy-fifth ballot, Cardinal Michelangelo de' Conti was elected pope, receiving fifty-four votes out of fifty-five. The only vote against was his own, which he gave to Sebastiano Antonio TanaraSebastiano Antonio Tanara
Sebastiano Antonio Tanara was an Italian cardinal.He studied law at the university of Bologna. He was internuncio in Flanders and as, such, he was sent with secret mission to king James II of England, who had converted to Catholicism...
, Dean of the College of Cardinals
Dean of the College of Cardinals
The 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...
. He accepted his election and took the name of Innocent XIII, in honour of Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III was Pope from 8 January 1198 until his death. His birth name was Lotario dei Conti di Segni, sometimes anglicised to Lothar of Segni....
, also of the Conti family. A little bit later Protodeacon Benedetto Pamphili
Benedetto Pamphili
Benedetto Pamphili was an Italian cardinal, patron of the arts, composer and librettist.-Life:...
announced his election to the people of 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...
with the ancient formula Habemus Papam
Habemus Papam
Habemus Papam! is the announcement given in Latin by the senior Cardinal Deacon upon the election of a new pope.The announcement is given from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican...
, and on May 18 he 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...
him in the steps of the patriarchal Vatican Basilica.