Papal conclave 1352 convened after the death of Pope Clement VI

Pope Clement VI

Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...

, elected as his successor cardinal Etienne Aubert, who under the name Innocent VI became fifth Pope of the period of Avignon Papacy

Avignon Papacy

The Avignon Papacy was the period from 1309 to 1376 during which seven Popes resided in Avignon, in modern-day France. This arose from the conflict between the Papacy and the French crown....

. This conclave is remarkable because during its celebration Cardinal

Cardinal (Catholicism)

A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...

s for the first time in history subscribed the electoral capitulation

Conclave capitulation

A conclave capitulation is a capitulation drawn up by the College of Cardinals during a papal conclave, attempting to constrain the actions of the Pope elected by the conclave. Generally, all cardinals would swear to uphold it if elected Pope, and the capitulation would be finished before the first...

, which limited the power of elect..

List of participants

Pope Clement VI

Pope Clement VI

Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...

 died on December 6, 1342 at Avignon

Avignon

Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...

. During his pontificate he constantly refused to return to Rome

Rome

Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...

 and purchased the sovereignty of Avignon (where resided papal court) from Queen Joan I of Naples

Joan I of Naples

Joan I , born Joanna of Anjou, was Queen of Naples from 1343 until her death. She was also Countess of Provence and Forcalquier, Queen consort of Majorca and titular Queen of Jerusalem and Sicily 1343–82, and Princess of Achaea 1373/5–81....

. At the time of his death, there were 26 living cardinals. 25 of them participated in the conclave:

Elector	Cardinalatial Title	Elevated	Elevator	Notes
Pierre Desprès Pierre Desprès Pierre Desprès was a French Cardinal during the period of Avignon Papacy. He was son of Raymond II Desprès, seigneur of Montpezat....	Bishop of Palestrina	1320, December 20	Pope John XXII Pope John XXII Pope John XXII , born Jacques Duèze , was pope from 1316 to 1334. He was the second Pope of the Avignon Papacy , elected by a conclave in Lyon assembled by Philip V of France...	Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals; Vice-Chancellor of the Holy Roman Church
Hélie de Talleyrand-Périgord Hélie de Talleyrand-Périgord Hélie de Talleyrand-Périgord was a French Cardinal, from an aristocratic family in Périgord, south-west France. He was born at Périgueux, son of Elias VII, Count of Périgord....	Bishop of Albano	1331, May 25	Pope John XXII Pope John XXII Pope John XXII , born Jacques Duèze , was pope from 1316 to 1334. He was the second Pope of the Avignon Papacy , elected by a conclave in Lyon assembled by Philip V of France...	Cardinal-protector of the Order of Franciscans
Bertrand de Déaulx	Bishop of Sabina	1338, December 18	Pope Benedict XII Pope Benedict XII Pope Benedict XII , born Jacques Fournier, the third of the Avignon Popes, was Pope from 1334 to 1342.-Early life:...
Guillaume de Court, O.Cist.	Bishop of Frascati	1338, December 18	Pope Benedict XII Pope Benedict XII Pope Benedict XII , born Jacques Fournier, the third of the Avignon Popes, was Pope from 1334 to 1342.-Early life:...  (Cardinal-nephew)	Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals
Etienne Aubert Pope Innocent VI Pope Innocent VI , born Étienne Aubert; his father was Adhemar Aubert seigneur de Montel-De-Gelas in Limousin province. His niece was Catherine Aubert, Dame de Boutheon, also the wife of Randon II baron de Joyeuse; she is La Fayette's ancestor... (elected Pope Innocent VI Pope Innocent VI Pope Innocent VI , born Étienne Aubert; his father was Adhemar Aubert seigneur de Montel-De-Gelas in Limousin province. His niece was Catherine Aubert, Dame de Boutheon, also the wife of Randon II baron de Joyeuse; she is La Fayette's ancestor... )	Bishop of Ostia e Velletri	1342, September 20	Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...	Grand Penitentiary
Guillaume d'Aure, O.S.B.	Priest of S. Stefano al Monte Celio	January 1339	Pope Benedict XII Pope Benedict XII Pope Benedict XII , born Jacques Fournier, the third of the Avignon Popes, was Pope from 1334 to 1342.-Early life:...	Archpriest of the Sacred College of Cardinals Protopriest Protopriest — in the College of Cardinals, is the first Cardinal-Priest in the order of precedence. This title is always attached to the most senior Cardinal Priest according to date of his creation. From the 17th century until the end of 19th century Protopriest usually opted for the titulus San... ; Inquisitor General
Hugues Roger, O.S.B.	Priest of S. Clemente	1342, September 20	Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...  (Cardinal-nephew Cardinal-nephew A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to... )
Pierre Bertrand de Colombier Pierre Bertrand de Colombier Pierre Bertrand de Colombier , French cardinal and diplomat, was born at Colombier in Ardèche.He was nephew and namesake of Cardinal Pierre Bertrand of Annonay...	Priest of S. Susanna	1344, May 19	Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...
Gil Álvarez Carrillo de Albornoz	Priest of S. Clemente	1350, December 17	Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...
Pasteur de Sarrats, O.F.M.	Priest of SS. Marcellino e Pietro	1350, December 17	Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...
Raymond de Canillac, C.R.S.A.	Priest of S. Croce in Gerusalemme	1350, December 17	Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...  (Cardinal-nephew Cardinal-nephew A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to... )
Guillaume d'Aigrefeuille, O.S.B.	Priest of S. Maria in Transpontina	1350, December 17	Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...  (Cardinal-nephew Cardinal-nephew A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to... )
Nicola Capocci Nicola Capocci Nicola Capocci was an Italian Cardinal.He studied law at the University of Perugia; later, in 1362, he founded there the Collegium Gregorianum ....	Priest of S. Vitale	1350, December 17	Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...	Archpriest of the patriarchal Liberian Basilica
Pasqual de Montesquieu	Priest of SS. XII Apostoli	1350, December 17	Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...
Arnaud de Villemur Arnaud de Villemur Arnaud de Villemur O.Can.S.A. was a cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was bishop of Pamiers, France.He was made cardinal on 17 December 1350 by Pope Clement VI.... , C.R.S.A.	Priest of S. Sisto	1350, December 17	Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...
Pierre de Cros Pierre de Cros Pierre de Murat de Cros was archbishop of Arles and the chamberlain of the Apostolic Camera at the outbreak of the Western Schism...	Priest of SS. Silvestro e Martino	1350, December 17	Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...  (Cardinal-nephew Cardinal-nephew A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to... )
Gilles Rigaud, O.S.B.	Priest of S. Prassede	1350, December 17	Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...
Jean de Moulins Jean de Moulins Jean de Moulins was a French Dominican and prelate, who was incardinated in the Tolosa province. In 1344 was appointed Inquisitor of the kingdom of France and from 1345 to 1349 Master of the Sacred Palace... , O.P.	Priest of S. Sabina	1350, December 17	Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...
Gaillard de la Mothe	Deacon of S. Lucia in Silice	1316, December 17	Pope John XXII Pope John XXII Pope John XXII , born Jacques Duèze , was pope from 1316 to 1334. He was the second Pope of the Avignon Papacy , elected by a conclave in Lyon assembled by Philip V of France...	Protodeacon Protodeacon Protodeacon derives from the Greek proto- meaning 'first' and diakonos, which is a standard ancient Greek word meaning "servant", "waiting-man," "minister" or "messenger." The word in English may refer to various clergymen, depending upon the usage of the particular church in question.-Eastern...  of the Sacred College of Cardinals
Bernard de la Tour	Deacon of S. Eustachio	1342, September 20	Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...  (Cardinal-nephew Cardinal-nephew A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to... )
Guillaume de la Jugié	Deacon of S. Maria in Cosmedin	1342, September 20	Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...  (Cardinal-nephew Cardinal-nephew A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to... )
Nicolas de Besse	Deacon of S. Maria in Via Lata	1344, May 19	Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...  (Cardinal-nephew Cardinal-nephew A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to... )
Pierre Roger de Beaufort Pope Gregory XI Gregory XI was pope from 1370 until his death.-Biography:He was born Pierre Roger de Beaufort, in Maumont, in the modern commune of Rosiers-d'Égletons, Limousin around 1336. He succeeded Pope Urban V in 1370, and was pope until 1378...	Deacon of S. Maria Nuova	1348, May 29	Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...  (Cardinal-nephew Cardinal-nephew A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to... )	Archpriest of the patriarchal Lateran Basilica
Rinaldo Orsini	Deacon of S. Adriano	1350, December 17	Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...
Jean de Caraman	Deacon of S. Giorgio in Velabro	1350, December 17	Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...

Nineteen electors were created by Pope Clement VI, and eight of them were his relatives. Of the remaining six three were creatures of John XXII and three of Benedict XII.

The post of Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, the most important during sede vacante

Sede vacante

Sede vacante is an expression, used in the Canon Law of the Catholic Church, that refers to the vacancy of the episcopal see of a particular church...

, was occupied by Stefano Aldebrandi Cambaruti, archbishop of Toulouse (not a Cardinal).

Absentee

One cardinal created by Clement VI did not participate in this conclave, because he served as legate in France, where he unsuccessfully tried to establish peace between the Kingdom of France

France in the Middle Ages

France in the Middle Ages covers an area roughly corresponding to modern day France, from the death of Louis the Pious in 840 to the middle of the 15th century...

 and the Kingdom of England

Kingdom of England

The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...

 in the Hundred Years' War

Hundred Years' War

The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...

:

Elector	Cardinalatial Title	Elevated	Elevator	Notes
Guy de Boulogne	Bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina; commendatario of S. Cecilia and S. Crisogono	1342, September 20	Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...	Papal Legate in the Kingdom of France Kingdom of France The Kingdom of France was one of the most powerful states to exist in Europe during the second millennium.It originated from the Western portion of the Frankish empire, and consolidated significant power and influence over the next thousand years. Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, developed a...

First conclave capitulation in history

On December 16 twenty five Cardinals entered the conclave in the Palais des Papes

Palais des Papes

The Palais des Papes is a historical palace in Avignon, southern France, one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe....

 in Avignon

Avignon

Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...

. Initially, all the electors subscribed the first conclave capitulation

Conclave capitulation

A conclave capitulation is a capitulation drawn up by the College of Cardinals during a papal conclave, attempting to constrain the actions of the Pope elected by the conclave. Generally, all cardinals would swear to uphold it if elected Pope, and the capitulation would be finished before the first...

 in the history, although several of them (including Cardinal Aubert) made this with reservation, insofar as it was not contrary to church law”. The terms of capitulation were following:

• College of Cardinals
  College of Cardinals
  The College of Cardinals is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church.A function of the college is to advise the pope about church matters when he summons them to an ordinary consistory. It also convenes on the death or abdication of a pope as a papal conclave to elect a successor...
  
   limited to 20; no new cardinals until only 16 remained.

• Two-thirds of College needed to approve creating, excommunicating, depriving of suffrage, or reducing the property or revenue of cardinals, or to request subsidies from sovereigns or national clergies.

• College granted veto power of papal decisions and policies.

• All papal revenue shared with College.

Subscription of this capitulation is considered as part of the general strategy of the College of Cardinals to limit papal power and to transform the government of the Church into oligarchy

Oligarchy

Oligarchy is a form of power structure in which power effectively rests with an elite class distinguished by royalty, wealth, family ties, commercial, and/or military legitimacy...

 instead of monarchy

Monarchy

A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...

.

Election of Pope Innocent VI

After subscribing the capitulation Cardinals started electoral proceedings. Initially, the candidature of Jean Birel, general of the Order of Carthusians, non-cardinal, venerated for his holiness, was proposed. But Cardinal Talleyrand addressed to the Sacred College that it would be unwise, if not dangerous, in such critical circumstances in Europe to elect new Celestine V, it means, a saintly but wholly incompetent Pontiff. The electors eventually agreed with him and abandoned the candidature of Birel in favor of Cardinal Etienne Aubert, bishop of Ostia

Bishop of Ostia

The Bishop of Ostia is the head of the Suburbicarian Diocese of Ostia, one of the seven suburbicarian sees of Rome. The position is now attached to the post of Dean of the College of Cardinals, as it has been since 1150, with the actual governance of the diocese entrusted to the Vicar General of...

, who on December 18 was unanimously elected Pope. He accepted his election and took the name of Innocent VI. On December 30 he was solemnly crowned

Papal Coronation

A papal coronation was the ceremony of the placing of the Papal Tiara on a newly elected pope. The first recorded papal coronation was that of Pope Celestine II in 1143. Soon after his coronation in 1963, Pope Paul VI abandoned the practice of wearing the tiara. His successors have chosen not to...

 in the cathedral of Notre Dame des Doms in Avignon by Cardinal Gaillard de la Mothe, protodeacon

Protodeacon

Protodeacon derives from the Greek proto- meaning 'first' and diakonos, which is a standard ancient Greek word meaning "servant", "waiting-man," "minister" or "messenger." The word in English may refer to various clergymen, depending upon the usage of the particular church in question.-Eastern...

of S. Lucia in Silice.

On July 6, 1353 Pope Innocent VI declared the capitulation agreed by the conclave invalid as violating the rule restricting business during a conclave to the election of the new pope and as infringing the plenitude of power inherent in the papal office. In spite of this, electoral capitulations were subscribed in the majority of the conclaves held in the next 300 years.