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1740 conclave
The 1740 papal conclave (18 February – 17 August) was convoked after the death of Pope Clement XII on 6 February 1740 and was one of the longest papal conclaves since the 13th century.
The initial favourite to succeed as pope, the elderly Pietro Ottoboni (1667–1740), Dean of the College of Cardinals, died shortly after the beginning of the conclave, and cardinals loyal to the House of Bourbon repeatedly proposed Pompeo Aldrovandi, but eventually had to accept that he could not secure two-thirds of the votes.
After six months, other possible candidates had also failed, and Cardinal Prospero Lambertini, the archbishop of Bologna, who had been a cardinal since 9 December 1726, was elected. He took the name Benedict XIV.
The conclave began on 18 February 1740, following the funeral of Clement XII, and lasted for six months.
At the outset, only thirty-two cardinals entered into the conclave, in which there was an expectation that the elderly Pietro Ottoboni (1667–1740), a Cardinal for more than fifty years and Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals, would be chosen to succeed Clement XII. However, opposition to Ottoboni was raised because of his protective relationship with France. After a few days he was taken seriously ill, left the conclave on 25 February, and died on 29 February. Ottoboni's place as Dean was taken by Tommaso Ruffo, vice-dean of the Sacred College.
As more cardinals arrived in Rome and entered into the conclave, a group of the French formed an alliance with the Austrians and with the Spanish cardinals from Naples and Tuscany. The cardinals loyal to the Bourbons proposed the name of Pompeo Aldrovandi, but he fell just short of securing the two-thirds majority required. For forty days, his nomination was voted on unsuccessfully before it became clear he could not be elected.
There was considerable and lengthy confusion, with a series of names advanced, all of whom failed to find the necessary level of support. After long deliberation, Cardinal Lambertini, a canon lawyer, was proposed as a compromise candidate, and he is reported to have said to the College of Cardinals, "If you wish to elect a saint, choose Gotti; a statesman, Aldrovandi; an honest man, me." This appears to have assisted his cause, which also benefited from his reputation for deep learning, gentleness, wisdom, and conciliation in policy.
In the words of one historian, the College of Cardinals was
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1740 conclave
The 1740 papal conclave (18 February – 17 August) was convoked after the death of Pope Clement XII on 6 February 1740 and was one of the longest papal conclaves since the 13th century.
The initial favourite to succeed as pope, the elderly Pietro Ottoboni (1667–1740), Dean of the College of Cardinals, died shortly after the beginning of the conclave, and cardinals loyal to the House of Bourbon repeatedly proposed Pompeo Aldrovandi, but eventually had to accept that he could not secure two-thirds of the votes.
After six months, other possible candidates had also failed, and Cardinal Prospero Lambertini, the archbishop of Bologna, who had been a cardinal since 9 December 1726, was elected. He took the name Benedict XIV.
The conclave began on 18 February 1740, following the funeral of Clement XII, and lasted for six months.
At the outset, only thirty-two cardinals entered into the conclave, in which there was an expectation that the elderly Pietro Ottoboni (1667–1740), a Cardinal for more than fifty years and Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals, would be chosen to succeed Clement XII. However, opposition to Ottoboni was raised because of his protective relationship with France. After a few days he was taken seriously ill, left the conclave on 25 February, and died on 29 February. Ottoboni's place as Dean was taken by Tommaso Ruffo, vice-dean of the Sacred College.
As more cardinals arrived in Rome and entered into the conclave, a group of the French formed an alliance with the Austrians and with the Spanish cardinals from Naples and Tuscany. The cardinals loyal to the Bourbons proposed the name of Pompeo Aldrovandi, but he fell just short of securing the two-thirds majority required. For forty days, his nomination was voted on unsuccessfully before it became clear he could not be elected.
There was considerable and lengthy confusion, with a series of names advanced, all of whom failed to find the necessary level of support. After long deliberation, Cardinal Lambertini, a canon lawyer, was proposed as a compromise candidate, and he is reported to have said to the College of Cardinals, "If you wish to elect a saint, choose Gotti; a statesman, Aldrovandi; an honest man, me." This appears to have assisted his cause, which also benefited from his reputation for deep learning, gentleness, wisdom, and conciliation in policy.
In the words of one historian, the College of Cardinals was
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