Editing Pope Clement III (section)

== Election ==
Paolo was elected as the new Pope on December 19, 1187, two days after the death of [[Pope Gregory VIII|Gregory VIII]].{{sfn|Robinson|1990|p=506}} He was the cardinals' second choice, but their first choice, cardinal [[Theobald of Ostia|Theobald]] of [[Roman Catholic Suburbicarian Diocese of Ostia|Ostia]], refused the papal throne.{{sfn|McBrien|2000|p=207-208}} Clement was the second Roman pope since [[Innocent II]].{{sfn|Wickham|2015|p=34}}

Two months before being elected pope, Paolo Scolari had been rejected as a papal candidate by the cardinals due to being in poor health.{{sfn|Robinson|1990|p=506}} Even during his office as pope his health was a cause of concern. An instance of his poor health was six months after he was elected in June 1188 the cardinals thought Clement was going to die and had pope-elect Cardinal Bishop Teobald of Ostia on hand for when Clement died.{{sfn|Robinson|1990|p=32}} Though Clement was old and ill, he was still elected as pope and could have something to do with the small number of cardinals, only eight Cardinals and three of them having been known Romans, at the election of Clement.{{sfn|Robinson|1990|p=87}} The electors of Clement may have been aiming for the possibility of returning the curia to Rome, which would in fact happen during his time as pope.{{sfn|Robinson|1990|p=88}}