1689 papal conclave
| Papal conclave August–October 1689 | |
|---|---|
| Dates and location | |
| 23 August – 6 October 1689 Apostolic Palace,Papal States | |
| Elected pope | |
| Pietro Vito Ottoboni Name taken:Alexander VIII | |
 | |
The1689 papal conclavewas convened after the death ofPope Innocent XI.It led to the election of Cardinal Pietro Vito Ottoboni asPope Alexander VIII.The conclave saw previous factions join together because they lacked numerical strength, and saw the rise of thezelantias a political force in the election of the next pope. Ottoboni was eventually unanimously elected with the consent of the secular monarchs, becoming the first Venetian in over 200 years to be elected pope.
Background
[edit]The central political issue concerning the papacy during the pontificate of Innocent XI was the diplomatic tension between the papacy and the French monarchy over thedroit de régale,the claimed right of French monarchs to receive the income of dioceses during theinterregnumbetween the death of one bishop and the installation of a new one.[1]In response to a bull from Innocent condemning the practice, the French held a national synod in 1682, which upheld this right of the king. Innocent, in return, refused to confirm French bishops, causing there to be thirty-five vacancies by 1688.Louis XIVresponded in kind, by seizing the papal territoryAvignon.[2]
In ecclesiastical affairs, Innocent was slow in creating cardinals, waiting until 1681, five years after his election, for his first creations. At that time, he created sixteen cardinals, all of whom were Italian. This caused anger among Catholic monarchs, because there were few remaining non-Italians in the college at that time. At his next creation of cardinals in 1686 he created twenty-seven cardinals, including one French cardinal and eleven other non-Italians.[2]In total during Innocent's pontificate, he created a total of forty-three cardinals, while fifty-two had died.[3]
Conclave
[edit]Innocent XI died on 12 August 1689. At the time of his death, there were eight vacancies in theCollege of Cardinals.[2]The conclave to elect his successor opened on 23 August 1689, but due to the late arrival of the French cardinals, no significant voting occurred until a month later.[4]The French cardinals arrived to Rome on 23 September 1689, and entered the conclave on 27 September.[5]Gregory XV's 1621 bullAeterni Patris Filiusset the threshold for election by scrutiny at two-thirds of participating electors.[6]
Fifty-three cardinals participated in the 1689 conclave, and seven of those were non-Italian.[7]Of the Italian cardinals, seventeen were from thePapal States.Innocent XI's creations were generally not aligned with any of the secular rulers at the time, and this was reflected in the election with the French faction having only five members, while the cardinals aligned with theHabsburgs,who ruled Spain and the Holy Roman Empire, only numbered seven. TheSquadrone Volante,which had been a presence at recent conclaves, was not a factor in the 1689 conclave, due to the recent deaths ofChristina, Queen of SwedenandDecio Azzolino.[2]Instead, the college saw the rise of an influentialzelantifaction with nine members who sought "[...] to elect the best pope, regardless of political ties."[2]
Francesco Maria de' Medicitook charge of theSpanishcontingent whileRinaldo d'Esteled theFrenchfactions.Flavio ChigiandPaluzzo Paluzzi Altieri degli Albertoni,who had previously led factions combined their forces due to their decreased number, and joined withBenedetto Pamphiliand Medici.Charles d'Albert d'Ailly,who was theDuke of Chaulnesserved with d'Este and the Marquis de Tore as Louis XIV's advisors regarding the conclave. Medici was joined byLuis Francisco de la Cerdaas the Spanish ambassador to the Holy See. TheHoly Roman Emperor,Leopold I,dispatchedAnton Florian, Prince of Liechtensteinto the conclave as his representative, not being content to be represented by Medici.[8]Liechtenstein was received in audience at the doors of the conclave on 27 September and d'Ailly on 2 October.[9]
Raimondo CapizucchiandGregorio Barbarigowere both considered early in the conclave, but neither was elected. There were rumours on 20 September that Barbarigo had been elected, but it was later reported that he had asked the cardinals not to vote for him.[9]
Election of Alexander VIII
[edit]Pietro Vito Ottoboni had been seen as the most qualified candidate since the opening of the conclave, but those supporting him moved circumspectly because it was anticipated that he would have enemies as a Venetian. He was supported by thezelanti,as well as by Chigi. Chigi eventually convinced Medici and Altieri to also support Ottoboni. He was not Leopold I's favoured candidate, and Louis XIV was initially opposed to his election, but both eventually consented.[10]His supporters also promised that he would confirm the French bishops that Innocent XI had refused to confirm, and this was the final step in securing his election. Ottoboni was 79 when the conclave opened, and this was also seen as a positive factor in his election.[4]
On 6 October 1689, Ottoboni was electedPope Alexander VIIIunanimously by forty-ninecardinal electors.[4]He was the first Venetian pope in over two centuries.[11]Ottoboni decided to take the name of Alexander in honour ofFlavio Chigi's uncle,Alexander VII,as Chigi had aided in his election, and he also respectedPope Alexander III,who was popular among Venetians. He had originally considered taking the name Urban, in honour ofUrban VIII,who had helped start his career, before he settled on Alexander.[12]
Notes
[edit]- ^Baumgartner 2003,p. 162.
- ^abcdefBaumgartner 2003,p. 163.
- ^abFreiherr von Pastor 1940,p. 525.
- ^abcBaumgartner 2003,p. 164.
- ^Freiherr von Pastor 1940,pp. 528–529.
- ^Signorotto and Visceglia 2002,p. 106.
- ^Pastor notes the total of cardinals at fifty-two while Baumgartner lists it as fifty-three.[2][3]
- ^Freiherr von Pastor 1940,p. 527.
- ^abFreiherr von Pastor 1940,p. 528.
- ^Freiherr von Pastor 1940,p. 529.
- ^Olszewski 2004,p. 11.
- ^Olszewski 2004,p. 13.
References
[edit]- Baumgartner, Frederic J. (2003).Behind Locked Doors.Palgrave Macmillan.ISBN0-312-29463-8.
- Freiherr von Pastor, Ludwig (1940) [1891]. Graf, Ernest (ed.).The History of the Popes.Vol. XXXII. Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co. Ltd.
- Olszewski, Edward J. (2004).Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni (1667–1740) and the Vatican Tomb of Pope Alexander VIII.American Philosophical Society.ISBN978-0-87169-252-8.
- Signorotto, Gianvittorio; Visceglia, Maria Antonietta (2002).Court and Politics in Papal Rome, 1492–1700.Cambridge University Press.ISBN9781139431415.
