Pope Innocent XIII
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Innocent XIII | |
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Birth name | Michelangelo dei Conti |
Papacy began | May 8, 1721 |
Papacy ended | March 7, 1724 |
Predecessor | Clement XI |
Successor | Benedict XIII |
Born | May 13, 1655 Poli, Italy |
Died | March 7, 1724 (aged 68) Rome, Italy |
Other popes named Innocent |
Styles of Pope Innocent XIII |
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Reference style | His Holiness |
Spoken style | Your Holiness |
Religious style | Holy Father |
Posthumous style | none |
Pope Innocent XIII (May 13, 1655 – March 7, 1724) was pope from 1721 until his death.
He was born Michelangelo Conti in Poli, near Rome. Like Pope Innocent III (1198–1216), Pope Gregory IX (1227–1241) and Pope Alexander IV (1254-1261), he was a member of the family of the Conti, counts and dukes of Segni. He also wore their family arms in his Pontifical Coat.
He became Cardinal under Pope Clement XI (1700–21) in 1706. From 1697 to 1710 he acted as papal nuncio to the Kingdom of Portugal, where he is believed to have formed those unfavourable impressions of the Jesuits which afterwards influenced his conduct towards them. In 1721 his high reputation for ability, learning, purity, and a kindly disposition secured his election to succeed Clement XI as Pope Innocent XIII. His pontificate was prosperous, but comparatively uneventful. Innocent XIII prohibited the Jesuits from prosecuting their mission in China, and ordered that no new members should be received into the order. This indication of his sympathies encouraged some French bishops to approach him with a petition for the recall of the bull Unigenitus by which Jansenism had been condemned; the request, however, was peremptorily denied.
Innocent XIII, like his predecessor, showed much favour to the Pretender to the British throne James III,also known as "The Old Pretender" and liberally supported him. The cousin of this Pope, Francesco Maria Conti, from Siena, was here the chamberlain (Gentiluomo di camera) in the little roman jacobite court, in the Muti Palace.
He was succeeded by Pope Benedict XIII (1724–30).
[edit] References
- Original text from the 9th edition (1880) of an unnamed encyclopedia.
Roman Catholic Church titles | ||
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Preceded by Clement XI |
Pope 1721–24 |
Succeeded by Benedict XIII |