Conclave 1669-1670

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The conclave from 1669 to 1670 was the electoral assembly after the death of Pope Clement IX. and lasted from December 20, 1669 to April 29, 1670 . It chose Emilio Altieri, of the Pope name Clement X took.

Number of participants

The reason for the conclave was the death of Clement IX.

After Pope Clement IX. died on December 9, 1669, the college of cardinals had 70 members, 57 to 66 of whom attended the conclave . The number of participants in the conclave fluctuated. Not only was the poor heating a problem, various cardinals had to leave the conclave in the meantime due to illness. Cardinal Scipione Pannocchieschi d'Elci died on April 13, 1670, one of the conclave fathers, so that the number of cardinals fell to 69.

The result of the conclave was the election of Clemens X.
  • December 20, 1669: 57 cardinals
  • December 26, 1669: 60 cardinals
  • December 30, 1669: 62 cardinals
  • January 20, 1670: 63 cardinals
  • February 27, 1670: 60 cardinals
  • March 30, 1670: 58 cardinals
  • April 23, 1670: 59 cardinals

Parties

Contemporaries noted that there were no outstanding cardinals at the time. 21 of them were considered papabile . In addition, there were the distinctive parties within the conclave, which reached up to six groups.

course

In the first few days the conclave was divided into two camps. On the one hand there were the parties of the Chigis and the Spaniards, on the other hand the parties of Popes Urban VIII, Clement IX. and Squadrone volante. The French cardinals had not yet entered the conclave. By the time they got to Rome, the Cardinals Chigi and Medici had already shattered the majority of Cardinal Vidoni, who was favored by Queen Christina of Sweden . Only the squadrone volante were still behind Vidoni.

The Spaniards and the cardinals around Cardinal Chigi brought Cardinal Odescalchi into conversation. Cardinal Brancaccio immediately failed because of the exclusivity of the King of Spain , who rejected him.

In April, after all its proposals failed, Cardinal Chigi broke with the Spanish Party and entered negotiations with the French. An intervention by the Venetian ambassador brought the French and Spanish parties together, which is now the election of a cardinal from the party of Cardinals Clement IX. preferred. Here, however, Chigi was able to achieve the exclusion of Cardinal Vidoni.

On April 28th there was a secret negotiation between Chigi and Rospigliosi, who agreed on Cardinal Altieri. But the following day he only got three of 58 votes. Now the leaders of the two parties, Chigi and Rospigliosi, announced that they had agreed on Altieri as a candidate. Although Altieri, due to his age, did not want to know anything about a choice of his person, and other surprised cardinals asked for a delay, the election was run again on April 29th. This time Altieri received 21 votes and 35 acceses , i.e. 56 of 59 votes. After the election was known around 3 p.m., the chosen one did not accept it until around 4 p.m.

The enthronement of the new Pope on May 11, 1670 ended a vacancy of 154 days.

Participating cardinals

Absent cardinals

Notes on the Cardinals

  1. ↑ Cardinal Scipione Pannocchieschi d'Elci died on April 13, 1670 during the Sedis vacancy .
  2. ↑ Cardinal Emilio Bonaventura Altieri was elected Pope and took the name Clement X.

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