Pope from July 12, 1691 - September 27, 1700Lived: March 13, 1615 - September 27, 1700Birth name: Antonio Pignatelli
Who was this guy before he was pope?A Neopolitan by birth, Antonio Pignatelli was well-educated in his youth and employed by Pope Urban VIII by the age of 20. He spent time in Malta as an inquisitor before being ordained a priest, then moved on to become a bishop in 1652 and nuncio to Poland in 1660. A nunciature in Austria followed that in 1668. He was named a cardinal in 1681, and was moved for the final time five years later, being tapped to serve as Archbishop of Naples.
Give me the scoop on Innocent XII.Only the Roman summer heat could kick the cardinals in the pants enough to elect a successor to Alexander VIII. The bickering French and Spanish electors couldn’t agree on Cardinal Gregory Barbarigo -- later named a saint, btw -- so they eventually settled on Innocent XII, who took his name to honor Innocent XI, the man who'd made him a cardinal and by whose policy Innocent XII wished to form his own pontificate.
Innocent XII started by abolishing nepotism officially, with the bull
Romanum decet Pontificem. FINALLY. All the cardinals had to take an oath to follow the new decree, and (miraculously) they all complied. Another key act by Innocent was condemning the heresy of Quietism -- a form of mysticism that encouraged abandoning the will (never a good thing) -- and doubling down on Jansenism to boot. Innocent ruled for more than nine years and died on September 27, 1700.
What was he known for?Though it wouldn’t happen until after his death, Innocent XII played a key part in the lead-up to the infamous War of Spanish Succession. The basis for the war was King Charles II of Spain, the last of the Habsburgs, having no heir. Charles, it turned out, was the final and tragic fruit of massive inbreeding among the Habsburgs, who had sunk to such lows to keep their wealth in the family. Charles’ mom and pop were also technically his first cousin and great-uncle, respectively. Too far, Habsburgs.
Anyway, Charles was severely delayed, not speaking until age 4 nor walking until age 8. One can imagine the quality of his rule. The situation put strain on the rest of Catholic Europe, so Innocent meanwhile was juggling tense relations with Emperor Leopold I of Austria and the French interests, not to mention also trying to diminish Protestant influence in Europe. When Charles willed that the grandson of Louis XIV, a Frenchman, take his kingdom following his death in 1700, a war ensued soon afterward.
Fun Fact: Pope Innocent XII is the last pope in Church history
to have been bearded. Not much of a fun fact. Sad, really.
Coming tomorrow...Pope Clement XISOURCES (and further reading)
You're seeing two popes because we want to make sure you get all the popes before New Year's. Don't worry, we'll only be doubling up a few times in the coming weeks :-)