Clement X.

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Clement X.
Clement X coat of arms.

Clemens X. (* July 13, 1590 in Rome ; † July 22, 1676 there ), bourgeois Emilio Altieri , was Pope of the Catholic Church from 1670 to 1676 .

Life

Emilio Altieri came from an old Roman patrician family . His older brother Giambattista entered the service of Cardinal Scipione Caffarelli Borghese and became his majordomo ; In 1643 he also became a cardinal. In October 1611 Emilio acquired the title of Dr. jur. in Rome and worked for a while as a lawyer . He began his career working with Giovanni Battista Pamphilj , who became Pope as Innocent X in 1644. Influenced by Ludovico Ludovisi , he embarked on a curial career after being ordained a priest in 1624 .

From 1627 to 1666 he succeeded his brother Giambattista Bishop of Camerino . In 1641 he also became governor of Macerata. From November 1644, Altieri was also papal nuncio in Naples . In Naples, the claims to power of Spain and France in particular dominated his work. He was supported by the Archbishop of Naples , Cardinal Ascanio Filomarino . When his early patron Innocent X took office, his influence at the curia also increased. From 1647 he asked to be released from his duties as nuncio, but had to stay there until 1652. Pope Alexander VII appointed Altieri in 1657 as secretary of the Congregation for Bishops and Religious, a few years later he also became consultor of the Holy Office . On November 29, 1669, Pope Clement IX took him . , a few days before his death, to the College of Cardinals (hence the choice of name).

pontificate

Bust of Clement X by Gian Lorenzo Bernini

After long and difficult party battles between the cardinals, he was elected the new Pope in the conclave on April 29, 1670 and was crowned on May 11 of the same year. Due to his age of already 80 years, most cardinals accepted him as a compromise candidate, but according to contemporary sources there were strong doubts about his health suitability for the papacy. To the disappointment of most cardinals, however, Clement X turned out to be quite vital for his age. Immediately after the election he left the current affairs of state to an adoptive nephew, Cardinal Paluzzo Paluzzi Altieri degli Albertoni . The 85-year-old Pope was hardly present at the celebrations of the Holy Year 1675. Clemens found a compromise solution on the question of Jansenism .

Politically, the Papal States under Clement X stood on the side of the French Kingdom under Louis XIV until 1673 , when the Pope turned to Spain after several diplomatic incidents. The break with Louis XIV came about through his war of conquest against the Protestant Netherlands, as he was not religiously motivated. From 1672 he was occupied with the conquest of the Ottoman Empire under Sultan Mehmed IV , which ended in 1673 with the victory of Johann Sobieski . Within the Papal States , Clemens X. introduced measures to improve the living conditions of the residents, especially in the area of ​​food supply. On the other hand, the debts of the Papal States continued under him, even if they did not rise as strongly as under his predecessors.

Clemens X. also exercised nepotism in a moderate manner and provided his adoptive relatives with lands and associated titles of nobility. In the north-west of Lake Bracciano , a small family territory was created around Oriolo as the center with the title of prince, Monterano, the predecessor of the later Canale Monterano , with the title of duke, as well as Veiano and Bassano Romano .

Clement X died after a surprisingly long for many contemporaries pontificate of six years at a gout, his tomb is located on a major point, the right of the apse in St. Peter's Basilica . The Altieri family died out in 1955 with the death of the last male member.

literature

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Commons : Clemens X.  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files
predecessor Office successor
Clement IX Pope
1670–1676 		Innocent XI.
personal data
SURNAME Clement X.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Altieri, Emilio
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Pope (1670–1676)
DATE OF BIRTH July 13, 1590
PLACE OF BIRTH Rome
DATE OF DEATH July 22, 1676
Place of death Rome