Clement XI
Gianfrancesco Albani (June 23rd 1649, Urbin, Steps - March 19th 1721, Rome) is the 241e Pape, of 1700, under the name of Clément XI (in Latin Clemens XI , in Italian Clemente XI ).
Of Albanian origin, of Lake Kurbini, its ancestor, Michel Laçi, left Albania with his two sons, Georges and Philippe (combatants with Skanderbeg) because of the Turks, settling in Urbin, in Italy, where it took the name of Albani. Georges had two wire, Altobelli and Hannibal. Altobelli had also two wire, Horace and Charles. Horace settles in Rome, in the Vatican, or it was named senator by the Urbain Pope. Charles was the father of Gianfrancesco, which became cardinal at 51 years, then Pape under the name of Clement XI (1570 - 1621).
Another branch of the Albani family settled with Bergamo, being distinguished with Gian Geronimo Albani (1504-1591), canon, author of important works, which became cardinal in 1570.
Clément XI named four more cardinals of the family Albani, his nephews Alexandre (1672-1779), Hannibal (1682-1751), Albani (1720-1803) and Giuseppe (1750-1834).
Gianfrancesco Albani enters at 11 years to the Roman College, held by the Jésuite S. It there follows brilliant studies and is noticed by the queen Christine I {{Re}} of Sweden. At 28 years, it is named bishop Rieti. It has then the responsibility for the dioceses of Sabina and Orvieto. Recalled to Rome, it is named Vicaire Saint-Pierre of Rome, then secretary of the pontifical briefs. In 1690, it receives the cardinal hat of , then is ordered priest.
In 1700, with died of Innocent XII, the Conclave was on the point of electing the Mariscotti cardinal, but France puts its veto at it. The cardinals turn then to the Albani cardinal, who is however only 51 years old. As of his election, the new Clement XI must face the War of succession of Spain: Charles II indeed died during the conclave. It takes initially party, in 1701 for Philippe V and France. Nevertheless, that is worth the Austrian hostility to him and the problem of the nomination of the kingdom of Naples and Sicily is worth also the dissatisfaction with Philippe V to him. the reverses of the Franco-Spanish troops vis-a-vis the Empire leave in discovered the Papal States. Eugene of Savoy-Carignan made there enter its troops. Clément XI must resign itself to recognize Charles III in 1709. Lastly, of new dramatic turns of events occur: the French take again the top, Joseph I {{er}} dies and Charles leaves Spain after his election with the imperial throne. Louis XIV, furious, refuses the mediation of Clement XI and papacy is represented only by one observer with the treaty of Rastatt. Papacy spent a certain time to recover from the Succession of Spain.
Being the doctrines, he fulminated the bubbles Vineam Domini (1705) and Unigenitus (1713) against the Jansénisme. He made festival of the design of the Virgin Mary a festival of obligation and canonized inter alia Pie V.
In a letter of the April 23rd 1718, the Pape Clément XI canonically institutes with Rome the pontifical Académie of Theology , which it filled of privileges, so that this place of studies is, according to the words of Jean-Paul II, “the seat of the crowned disciplines and nourishes the noble spirits, and that, like a source, it produces abundant fruits for the catholic cause”.
Concerning its origin, he regarded Albania as his fatherland. He shows interest towards his compatriots, giving two grants to Albanians for the college of “Propaganda Fide” in 1708, and a third with a nap of 4.000 ECUs. He sent in Albania Franciscains which opens school as from 1711, where the Albanian language is taught. He organizes a Council with Merqine de Lezhe, to counter the Islamization of the country. The Albanian origins of the Pope Clement XI played a part in the hostilities to the Turks. He became the promoter of the European League which led in two bloody defeats of the Turks, Patervaradino and Belgrade, by prince Eugene of Savoy.
He dies the March 19th 1721. Its successor is Innocent XIII.
The Albani family dies out in 1852, with the prince gift Philippe, the last wire of Horace III.
Clement XI and the Bubble Unigenitus
One reads at Chamfort (Maximes and anecdotes n° 1277)“The pope Clément XI said, while crying to have given the Constitution: “If the P. Tellier had not persuaded me of the absolute capacity of the king, never I would not have ventured this constitution. The P. Tellier said to the king that there was in condemned book more than one hundred censurable proposals; he did not want to pass for a liar. One held me the foot on the throat to put some more than one hundred: I put only one moreover of them”. ”
The Bubble Unigenitus, known as also Constitution, condemned hundred proposals extracted the book of the P. Quesnel, Réflexions morals on New Testament.
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