SEDE VACANTE 1774-1775

(September 22, 1774—February 15, 1775)

MSGR. GUGLIELMO PALLOTTA (1727-1795) was born in Macerata, a relative of cardinals of the 16th and 17th century. He studied law in Rome and became a protege of Carlo Card. Rezzonico. He was made a canon of the Vatican Basilica, and served on the board of the Rev. Fabbrica. He was Secretary of the Sacred Congregation of Good Government, and was appointed Treasurer General of the Apostolic Chamber (Reverendae Camerae Apostolicae Thesaurius Generalis) in 1773. He was created Cardinal Priest of S. Eusebio on June 23, 1777, and transferred to Santa Maria degli Angeli (S. Maria in Thermis Diocletianis) in 1782. He was Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of the Council of Trent from July 1, 1785 to his death on September 21, 1795.

 

Fabrizio Cardinal Serbelloni was the Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals and Cardinal Bishop of Ostia.

The Prefect of the Sacred Apostolic Palaces (Majordomo) and Governor of the Conclave was Msgr. Giovanni Archinto (1736-1799). He was named a cardinal on April 15, 1776.

The Governor of Rome and of the Borgo was Msgr. Giovanni Potenziani.

	Æ 28mm SEDE VA | CANTE Shield with coat of arms of Msgr. Giovanni Potenziani, upon a cross of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, surmounted by clerical hat, with six tassels on each side (signifying episcopal status)
	Inscription: IOANNES | POTENTIANI | VRBIS ET CIV • LEON | PRAEF • | VICE CAMERAR • | ANNO | MDCCLXXIV "Giovanni Poteziiani, Prefect of the City (of Rome) and the Leonine City, Vice Chamberlain. The Year 1774.

 

Death of Pope Clement XIV (Ganganelli)

Pope Clement XIV had been ill on and off during most of his pontificate (extensively detailed by the French Ambassador in Rome, Cardinal de Bernis, in his dispatches to the French Foreign Ministers, Aiguillon. the Duc de Choiseul, and the Comte de Vergennes). The Pope was under constant extraordinary stress because of the Jesuit issue, deliberately imposed on him by both sides. He was subject to severe depressions, and he imagined that his life was in danger (which was no paranoid delusion), and that he was a target for assassination by poison. Cardinal Bernis noticed a change for the worse in the pope's health in an audience of August 16, which he confirmed on August 24 and 28. On September 7, Clement seemed to be in remission, and even proposed a vacation for himself at Castel Gandolfo. On the 8th he presided at ceremonies at S. Maria del Popolo, and seemed fatigued. He contracted a remittant fever. On the evening of the 19th he had a blood-letting, and another the next morning. On the 21st, at 7 p.m, he received extreme unction, and the next morning, September 8, 1774, at 8:00 a.m. he died. The autopsy indicated—despite rumors, asservations and denials—that he had not been poisoned (Masson, pp. 286-296). It is true that Cardinal de Bernis wrote to the French Minister Vergennes that he believed that the Pope had been poisoned, though he later retracted that view. Nonetheless, the Courts of Versailles, Madrid and Naples professed to believe the story—the same courts which had pressed so hard for the suppression of the Jesuits.

The Cardinals

Cardinals attending:

1. Fabrizio Serbelloni (aged 79), Bishop of Ostia e Velletri, Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals (died December 7, 1775).
2. Giovanni Francesco Albani (aged 54), Bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina, Sub-Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals (died September 15, 1803)
3. Henry Benedict Mary Clement Stuart (aged 49), Bishop of Frascati, with S. Lorenzo in Damaso in commendam (died July 13, 1807). Vice-Chancellor S.R.E.
4. Giovanni Francesco Stoppani (aged 79), Bishop of Palestrina. (died November 18, 1774, during the Sede Vacante)
   
5. Carlo Rezzonico, iuniore (aged 50), Bishop of Sabina (died January 26, 1799).
6. François-Joachim de Pierres de Bernis (aged 59), Bishop of Albano (died November 3, 1794).
   
   
7. Carlo Vittorio Amedeo delle Lanze (aged 62), Cardinal Priest of S. Prassede (died January 25, 1784). Prefect of the S.C.of the Tridentine Council.
8. Vincenzo Malvezzi (aged 59), Cardinal Priest of Ss. Marcellino e Pietro (died December 3, 1775). Archbishop of Bologna, Datary of His Holiness.
9. Antonio Sersale (aged 72), Cardinal Priest of S. Pudenziana (died June 24, 1775). Archbishop of Naples.
10. Francisco de Solís Folch de Cardona (aged 61), Cardinal Priest of SS. XII Apostoli (died March 21, 1775). Archbishop of Seville.
11. Paul d'Albert de Luynes (aged 71), Cardinal Priest of S. Tommaso in Parione (died January 21, 1788). Archbishop of Sens.
12. Ferdinando Maria de' Rossi, prefect of the S.C. of the Tridentine Council. (died February 4, 1775 during the Sede Vacante)
13. Girolamo Spinola (aged 60), Cardinal Priest of S. Balbina (died July 22, 1784). Legate before future Queen Maria Carolina of Naples.
14. Giuseppe Maria Castelli (aged 68), Cardinal Priest of SS. Bonifacio ed Alessio (died April 9, 1780). Prefect of the S.C. of Propaganda Fide.
15. Gaetano Fantuzzi (aged 65), Cardinal Priest of S. Pietro in Vincoli (died October 1, 1778).
16. Marcantonio Colonna (aged 60), Cardinal Priest of S. Maria della Pace (died December 4, 1793). Vicar-General of Rome.
17. Andrea Corsini (aged 39), Cardinal Priest of S. Matteo in Merulana (died January 18, 1795).
18. Christoph Anton von Migazzi von Waal und Sonnenthurn (aged 59), Cardinal Priest without titulus (died April 14, 1803). Archbishop of Vienna.
19. Simon Buonaccorsi (aged 65), Cardinal Priest of S. Giovanni a Porta Latina (died April 27, 1776).
20. Giovanni Ottavio Bufalini (aged 65), Cardinal Priest of S. Maria degli Angeli (died August 3, 1782). Bishop of Ancona.
21. Giovanni Carlo Boschi (aged 59), Cardinal Priest of SS. Giovanni e Paolo (died September 6, 1788).
22. Ludovico Calini (aged 78), Cardinal Priest of S. Stefano al Monte Celio (died December 9, 1782).
23. Antonio Colonna Branciforte (aged 63), Cardinal Priest of S. Maria in Via (died July 31, 1786). Legate in Bologna.
24. Lazzaro Opizio Pallavicino (aged 54), Cardinal Priest of Ss. Nereo ed Achilleo (died Febraruy 23, 1785).
25. Vitaliano Borromeo (aged 54), Cardinal Priest of S. Maria in Ara Coeli (died June 7, 1793). Legate in the Romagna.
26. Pietro Pamphlj (aged 48), Cardinal Priest of S. Maria in Trastevere (died December 4, 1780).
27. Urbano Paracciani Rutili (aged 59), Cardinal Priest of S. Callisto (died January 2, 1777). Archbishop of Fermo.
28. Mario Marefoschi Compagnoni (aged 60), Cardinal Priest of S. Agostino (died December 23, 1780). Prefect, S. C. Rites.
29. Scipione Borghese (aged 40), Cardinal Priest of S. Maria sopra Minerva (died December 26, 1782). Legate in Ferrara.
30. Antonio Eugenio Visconti (aged 60), Cardinal Priest without titulus (died March 4, 1788).
31. Bernardino Giraud (aged 53), Cardinal Priest of Santissima Trinità al Monte Pincio (died May 5, 1782). Archbishop of Ferrara.
32. Innocenzo Conti (aged 43), Cardinal Priest without titulus (died November 15, 1785).
33. Gennaro Antonio de Simone (aged 59), Cardinal Priest of S. Bernardo alle Terme (died December 16, 1780). Bishop of Pesaro.
34. Francesco Carafa della Spina di Traetto (aged 52), Cardinal Priest of S. Clemente (died September 20, 1818).
35. Francesco Saverio de Zelada (aged 57), Cardinal Priest of S. Martino ai Monti (died December 19, 1801).
36. Giovanni Angelo Braschi (aged 56), Cardinal Priest of S. Onofrio (died August 29, 1799).
    
    
37. Alessando Albani (aged 81), Cardinal Deacon of S. Maria in Via Lata and S. Maria in Cosmedin in commendam (died December 11, 1779). Bibliothecarius S. R. E. [a cardinal for over 53 years]
38. Domenico Orsini d'Aragona (aged 55), Cardinal Deacon of S. Maria ad Martyres (died January 19, 1789).
39. Luigi Maria Torregiani (aged 76), Cardinal Deacon of S. Agata alla Suburra (died January 6, 1777) .
40. Giovanni Costanzio Caracciolo (aged 58), Cardinal Deacon of S. Eustachio (died September 22, 1780).
41. Andrea Negroni (aged 63), Cardinal Deacon of SS. Vito, Modesto e Crescenzia (died January 17, 1789).
42. Benedetto Veterani (aged 70), Cardinal Deacon of SS. Cosma e Damiano (died August 12, 1776).
43. Giovanni Battista Rezzonico (aged 34), Cardinal Deacon of S. Nicola in Carcere (died July 21, 1783).
44. Antonio Casali (aged 59), Cardinal Deacon of S. Giorgio in Velabro (died January 14, 1787). Prefect of the S.C. of Good Government.
45. Pasquale Acquaviva d'Aragona (aged 55), Cardinal Deacon without deaconry (died February 29, 1788).
46. Francesco D'Elci (aged 66), Cardinal Deacon of S. Angelo in Pescheria (died April 4, 1787).

Cardinals not attending:

1. Giuseppe Pozzobonelli (aged 78), Archbishop of Milan (died April 27, 1783).
2. Franz Konrad Casimir von Rodt (aged 68), Cardinal Priest of S. Maria del Popolo (died October 16, 1775). Bishop of Konstanz.
3. Francisco de Saldanha da Gama (aged 51), Cardinal Priest without titulus (died November 1, 1776). Patriarch of Lisbon.
4. Buenaventura de Córdoba Espínola de la Cerda (aged 50), Cardinal Priest of S. Lorenzo in Panisperna (died May 6, 1777). Patriarch of the West Indies.
5. Jean-François-Joseph Rochechouart (aged 66), Cardinal Priest of S. Eusebio (died March 20, 1777). Bishop of Laon.
6. Louis-César-Constantine de Rohan-Guéménée (aged 77), Cardinal Priest without titulus (died March 11, 1779). Bishop of Strasbourg.
7. João Cosme da Cunha, OCSA (aged 58), Cardinal Priest without titulus (died January 31, 1783). Archbishop of Evora.
8. Charles-Antoine de La Roche-Aymon (aged 78), Cardinal Priest without titulus (died October 27, 1777). Archbishop of Reims.
9. Leopold Ernest von Firmian (aged 65), Cardinal Priest without titulus (died March 13, 1783).Bishop of Passau.

Conclave: Factions and Papabili

The Conclave began on October 5, 1774, and lasted 134 days. Twenty-seven cardinals entered into conclave, though the number later reached forty-three. The anti-French faction was led by the sub-Dean of the College, Giovanni Francesco Cardinal Albani. The French agent, Cardinal de Bernis was working with the Spanish ambassador, Florida Blanca, to frustrate the plans of some "enthousiastes" (by which he meant the Zelanti) to produce a quick election; the King of France and his minister, the Comte de Vergennes, wished to avoid at all costs a pope who might reverse the final solution of the Jesuit issue (Montor,25, a letter from Bernis to Vergennes of October 19). Cardinal de Bernis did much of the "arranging" personally. He used his cell as a social center, providing various delicacies sent in from outside to entertain his colleagues. He also spent his time searching for someone on the other side who would be reasonable enough to accept the conditions of the Bourbons.

The first candidate to make a showing was Cardinal Marcantonio Colonna, whose progress was being assisted by some votes from French adherents. Bernis put a stop to that candidacy (Montor, 26-27). In a memorial presented to the College, signed by himself on behalf of the French and Cardinal Orsini de Aragona (of Naples) on behalf of the Spanish, they demanded what they termed the traditional right accorded to the great Powers of having the Conclave wait until their cardinals could arrive. In the letter of October 19, Bernis remarkes that the Cardinal delle Lanze is about to arrive from Turin, which will augment the party of the Zelanti (Montor, 32). On October 26, he reports the "mauvaise nouvelle" that Cardinal Migazzi (Archbishop of Vienna) is about to arrive, carrying instructions from the Imperial Court. Migazzi was a friend of the Jesuits, and intimately connected with the "enthousiastes". But Bernis was assured by the two Cardinals Albani, Giovanni (Bishop of Porto; Imperial Minister Plenipotentiary in Rome) and his nephew Alessandro, that the instructions would be general in nature and that Vienna would cooperate with Versailles and Madrid. (Montor, 34-35). Migazzi arrived in Rome on November 19 and entered Conclave on the afternoon of the 23rd. ( Wolfsgruber, 235 )

Christoph Cardinal Migazzi

The Deal

On February 12, 1775, Bernis had a conversation with Cardinal Braschi, and in it he set forth the requirements of the Spaniards: no restoration of the Society of Jesus, revocation or suspension of the bull In Coena Domini (which excommunicated secular rulers who touched Church property or rights), and no agitation over claims to Parma, Piacenza and the Two Sicilies (which were papal fiefs, but which were occupied by the Spaniards without the proper legalities). On the 13th, Bernis and Braschi met again to determine who would fill the important offices in the papal government. On the 14th, Bernis undertook the job of producing a two-thirds majority for the agreeable Braschi. On the 15th of February, Braschi was elected unanimously. Again, as in 1769, the successful candidate, Giovanni Angelo Braschi (Pius VI), was a person who was not clearly identified with either point of view, and who was ill-equipped to deal with the real threats of the Enlightenment, anti-clericalism, atheism, and republican revolutionary trends.

Pope Pius VI was consecrated a bishop on February 22, 1775, and crowned immediately afterwards, by Cardinal Alessandro Albani, the Cardinal Protodeacon. He took possession of the Lateran Basilica, his cathedral church, on November 30, 1775. (Moroni, 88)

François-Joachim Cardinal de Bernis
Cardinal Bishop of Albano