Only 78 popes elected in conclave. First conclave in 1241 → Celestine IV (#180). Last 73 popes, in succession, since Dec → Boniface VIII (#194). Involving the Sistine Chapel, only since Since 1484, five away from the Vatican. Sfumata, early 19 th century.
Urban VI (#203)
PeriodYearsVacanciesAverage Vacancy ‘All Time’~1963~54 years~74 days 1 st Millennium~957~25 years~65 days 2 nd Millennium1006~29 years~84 days ‘11 th Century’ years98 days ‘13 th Century’ years193 days ‘20 th Century’ years17 days Last 9 conclaves: average 3.33 days; 2, 3, 2, 3, 4, 2, 5, 4 & 5 Pius VII (#252), on March 14, 1800 – 105 days. Longest: 1,006 days, Nov – Sep
Gregory IX (#179) <> Frederick II ( ). Cardinals: 14 > 12 > 11 > 10 > 11. Matteo Rosso ‘the Great’ Orsini ( ). 1 month lead-up; Sep. 21 to Oct. 25 (34 days). Celestine IV (#180) Pope & cardinals flee Rome! 592 days before the next pope. Septizodium, Palatine Hill, just 16 days.
4 elections after 1241 without conclaves. Continued tussle with ‘German’ court; > Charles I, Count of Anjou ( ) steps into fray. Clement IV (#184) died 11/29/1268 in Viterbo. Cardinals = 21 > 19; Italian = 12, France = 5. c conclave < Gatti … roof comes off … now 16. mid- 1271, 6 cardinal committee. Sep. 1, 1271 > Viconti. Palazzo dei Papi, Viterbo
Gregory X (#185), Mar. 27, 1272 < 1,214 days. 2 nd Council of Lyon, May – July Nov > 2 nd Constitution, Part II. ‘When there is danger’ 10 day ‘assembly’ period > One assistant ; no income ; only ‘ urgent ’ business. After 3 days > one dish/meal ; 9 th day > Gregory X papacy 4 years, 4 months.
Next 3 conclaves: 1 day, 9 days, 11 days. Hadrian V (#187), 5 conclaves > 38 days as pope! John XXI (#188), M.D., suspends ‘ U.p. within 10 days. Next 5 conclaves: 189, 184, 5, 325 & 822 days. Celestine V (#193), a hermit, elected in haste. Within a month, Quia in futurum, U.p. back. Boniface VIII (#194) enshrines U.p. > Canon Law.
Guruge, Anura, The Next Pope, WOWNH, Kelly, J.N.D., The Oxford Dictionary of Popes, Oxford University Press, Baugmartner, Frederic J., A History of Papal Elections, Palgrave Macmillian, 2003 Walsh, Michael, The Conclave, Sheed & Ward, 2003 Please check ‘Errors in books about popes’ at Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church: