CLEMENTE IX, POPE. — Giulio Rospigliosi, born at Pistoia into a noble family on 28 January 1600; created cardinal in 1657, elected pope on 20 June 1667, died on 9 December 1669. He studied and taught at Pisa, and subsequently was in Rome among the household of Cardinal Francesco Barberini, whom he accompanied to France and Spain. He was a curial official in Rome when, in March 1644, he was appointed nuncio to Spain, where he remained with distinction until 1653. Because he was a friend of Barberini, he was never welcome to Pope Innocent X; during the conclave following the latter’s death, he was elected governor of Rome and then appointed secretary of state and cardinal by the new pope Alexander VII (1657). He succeeded Alexander VII ten years later, thanks to his fine qualities, including gentleness of spirit, a sense of justice, and generosity. As pope, he did not allow himself to be induced to favor his relatives; strict with himself, he was truly “clement” toward his subjects. Even Pasquino greeted his election with praise and foretold a golden pontificate; except that he was already somewhat advanced in years and in poor health.
In his time, the Jansenist controversy was still raging. Without departing from the judgments issued by his predecessors on the matter, he sought through his intervention to reconcile the opposing spirits (“Clementine peace”); but the inflamed passions caused his initiative to fail. He governed the Papal States with balance, avoiding making his subjects feel too heavily the burden of public obligations. Before becoming pope, he had cultivated poetry and the melodramatic arts with some success and renown; as pope, he protected learning and the arts. Among the artists of his time, he honored Borromini and Bernini, who was working on the statues to be placed on Ponte S. Angelo. He extended his benevolence to the highly learned Queen Christina of Sweden, once again a guest in Rome. Important measures in favor of the missions should be recalled, including the bull of 17 June 1669, which explicitly prohibited all missionaries and ecclesiastics from engaging in commercial affairs, whether for personal profit or for the benefit of their religious community, unless the latter was in dire need; and the brief of 13 September 1669, by which he subjected all missionaries to the supervision and jurisdiction of the apostolic vicars.
In the political sphere, the greatest problem was the fate of Candia. Since 1645, the Venetians and the troops of certain Christian powers had been fighting to prevent that island from falling into the hands of the Turks. Following the example of his predecessors, C. sent substantial assistance in men, money, and galleys, and persistently urged France and Spain to take part in the undertaking; for this purpose, he worked to heal their disagreements. Louis XIV did in fact intervene with a fleet and an army, but not decisively, so as not to disrupt entirely his friendly relations with the Ottoman Empire. Spain held back, distrustful of its French adversary. Candia fell, and the news reached Rome when C. had died. C. had the merit of reconciling Louis XIV with the Holy See; Louis XIV had had very strained diplomatic relations with Pope Alexander VII. His remains, which had lain for a short time in St. Peter’s, were transferred by his successor to S. Maria Maggiore. — Vedi Tav. CXVII.