Editing Pope Alexander VIII (section)

==Pontificate==
===Papal election===
{{main|1689 papal conclave}}
{{Infobox popestyles
|image      = C o a Alexander VIII.svg
|dipstyle   = [[His Holiness]]
|offstyle   = Your Holiness
|relstyle   = Holy Father
|deathstyle = None
|}}
[[File:Italy Papal States 1689-I Quadrupla Scudo d'Oro.jpg|thumb|260px|Pope Alexander VIII depicted on a gold quadruple [[Italian scudo]] from 1689. Saints [[Saint Peter|Peter]] and [[Paul the Apostle|Paul]] on the reverse. Engraved by Antonio Travani, a goldsmith and medalist in Rome.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Forrer |first1=L. |year=1916 |title=Biographical Dictionary of Medallists |volume=6 |page=129 |publisher=Spink & Son, LTD |url=https://archive.org/stream/biographicaldict06forriala#page/n11/mode/2up }}</ref>]]

The ambassador of King [[Louis XIV of France]] (1643–1715) succeeded in procuring his election on 6 October 1689, as the successor to [[Pope Innocent XI]] (1676–89); nevertheless, after months of negotiation Alexander VIII finally condemned the [[Declaration of the Clergy of France|declaration]] made in 1682 by the French clergy concerning the liberties of the [[Gallican Liberties|Gallican]] church.<ref name="EB1911"/>

He chose the pontifical name of "Alexander VIII" in gratitude to [[Flavio Chigi (1631-1693)|Cardinal Flavio Chigi]], the nephew of [[Pope Alexander VII]], who also had helped support his candidacy.<ref>Olszewski E. page 13.</ref> Ottoboni was crowned as [[pontiff]] on 16 October 1689 by the [[protodeacon]] Cardinal [[Francesco Maidalchini]] and took possession of the [[Basilica of Saint John Lateran]] on 28 October 1689.

Originally, the allies of Cardinal Flavio Chigi proposed a Venetian in the form of [[Gregorio Barbarigo]] rather than their true choice of Ottoboni, hence, a case of misdirection to test whether or not the electors would consider the appointment of a Venetian to the papal throne. Though Barbarigo seemed to garner an exceptional number of votes which highlighted that a Venetian pontiff was indeed a tantalizing opportunity, Barbarigo could not garner any additional votes beyond what he already had accrued. However, many in the camp that wanted continuity with the policies of Innocent XI had caught on to the deception, which only served to create indignation within the conclave. However, since Chigi and his faction had not directly voted for Barbarigo in order to maintain the deception, the Ottoboni candidacy could go ahead and could remain unmarred since Chigi and his faction lied that they were waiting for the arrival of the French cardinals and did not wish to commit to any particular candidate. Though the Venetians indicated their support for Ottoboni, the republic had also managed to secure the support of [[Habsburg Spain|Madrid]] and [[Habsburg monarchy|Vienna]] through their ambassadors, while [[Francesco Maria de' Medici, Duke of Rovere and Montefeltro|Cardinal Medici]] made certain that the Imperial and Spanish factions would also support Ottoboni's candidacy. The determination to elect Ottoboni came conclusively when Ottoboni himself indicated that he was strongly in favor of reconciliation with the French, something that greatly appeased Louis XIV who had been in a more conciliatory mood of late.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.csun.edu/~hcfll004/SV1689.html|title=SEDE VACANTE 1689|date=11 August 2015|author=John Paul Adams|publisher=CSUN|accessdate=24 December 2022}}</ref>

Old but of a strong constitution, Alexander VIII was said to be an able diplomat. During his brief pontificate he managed to destroy most of his predecessor's good work. All the money saved by Innocent XI was spent on enriching the Ottoboni family and to a cardinal he said: "I have no time to lose; for me the day is almost done!"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pickle-publishing.com/papers/triple-crown-alexander-viii.htm|title=Pope Alexander VIII: Proceedings of the Conclave that led to his election.|publisher=Pickle Publishing|date=2005|access-date=6 February 2015}}</ref> Known to be an upright man who was generous and possessed a peaceful disposition, he held a profound compassion and attentiveness for the poor which was often squandered and abused by his nepotistic relatives upon whom he generously heaped riches that they, on their own behalf and to the discredit of his papacy, squandered for their own personal ends.<ref name="CE1913"/>

Alexander VIII was almost an octogenarian when elected to the papacy, which lasted only sixteen months, during which time little of importance was done. Louis XIV, whose political situation was now critical, profited by the peaceful dispositions of the new pope, restored [[Avignon]] to him, and renounced the long-abused [[right of asylum]] for the French Embassy.<ref name="CE1913"/>

===Reforms===
On 29 November 1690, the pontiff established that no more than ten thousand ducats could be spent on the funeral of a pope. That same year, he also forbade that any furnishings of the conclave could not be stripped to be sold for profit.

On 30 March 1690, the pope established and confirmed the rights of the neophytes in [[Southeast Asia]] in the papal brief ''Animarum salutes''.

Reversing the economic policies of his immediate predecessor, Alexander VIII attempted to reduce the tax burden on the populace as a means of providing financial assistance to the more disadvantaged peoples. However, this backfired due to the pope's focus on large-scale charity initiatives and his focus on the [[Great Turkish War]] against the [[Ottoman Empire]], which quickly depleted papal funds which Innocent XI had been very careful to grow and safeguard.

===Financial controversies===
Charities on a large scale and unbounded nepotism exhausted the papal treasury,<ref name="EB1911"/> reversing the policies of his predecessor. Among the various nominations, his 22-year-old grandnephew [[Pietro Ottoboni (cardinal)|Pietro]] was made cardinal and vice-chancellor of the Church,<ref>Olszewski E. page 5.</ref><ref name="EB1911"/> nephew Marco, son of his brother Agostino, was made inspector of naval fortifications and Duke of Fiano, and nephew Antonio, another of Agostino's children, was made general of the church. His nephew [[Giambattista Rubini]] was made [[Cardinal Secretary of State]] and [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Vicenza|bishop of Vicenza]]. Out of compassion for the poor of the impoverished [[Papal States]], he sought to help them by reducing taxes. But this same generous nature led him to bestow on his relations the riches they were eager to accumulate; on their behalf, and to the discredit of his pontificate, he revived [[sinecure]] offices which had been suppressed by Innocent XI.<ref name="CE1913"/> He bought the books and manuscripts of Queen [[Christina of Sweden]] for the [[Vatican Library]].<ref name="FogelmanFusco2002"/> Alexander VIII assisted his native Venice by generous subsidies in the war against the Turks,<ref name="CE1913"/> as well as sending seven [[galley]]s and 2,000 infantry for the campaign in [[Albania]].
[[Image:AlexandreVIII.jpg|thumb|left|245px|The tomb of Alexander VIII in Saint Peter's Basilica.]]
In 1690 he condemned the doctrines of the so-called [[philosophical sin]], taught in the [[Jesuit]] schools.<ref name="EB1911"/> He also held three consistories that saw 14 new cardinals elevated.

===Foreign policy===
====Venice====
A Venetian himself, Alexander VIII largely supported the [[Republic of Venice]] in its [[Morean War|military campaign]] against the Ottoman Empire for control of [[Peloponnese]] in Greece and the [[Aegean Sea]], donating enough food to fill seven [[Galley|galleys]] while also sending infantry for their campaign in Albania.

====France====
Condemning the precepts of the Gallican proposals which had been ratified in 1682, the pope attempted to try and mend the despairing relationship between the Holy See and the French which had been largely strained by his predecessor. Despite this, the proposals were revoked in 1693 only after Alexander VIII had died, in exchange for papal recognition of the right of the crown to administer to vacant dioceses.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexander-VIII|title=Alexander VIII, pope|author=|publisher=Encyclopaedia Britannica|date=|accessdate=24 December 2022}}</ref> At the time as Louis XIV found his own political situation to be precarious, the monarch profited from the pope's peaceful dispositions while Louis XIV decided to renounce the long-abused right of asylum for the French embassy.<ref name="CE1913"/>

===Beatifications and canonizations===
Alexander VIII confirmed the cultus of [[Kinga of Poland]] on 11 June 1690 which served as the beatification. On 16 October 1690, he canonized several saints: Ss. [[Pascal Baylon]], [[Lorenzo Giustiniani]], [[John of Sahagun]], [[John of God]] and [[John of Capistrano]].

===Consistories===
{{main|Cardinals created by Alexander VIII}}
The pope created 14 cardinals in three consistories and elevated individuals such as his grandnephew [[Pietro Ottoboni (cardinal)|Pietro Ottoboni]] in a restoration of nepotism that had not been seen in his predecessor's reign. Among those whom he named was Gianfrancesco Albani, the future [[Pope Clement XI]].

The pontiff also named [[Toussaint de Forbin-Janson]] to the cardinalate in 1690 despite his immediate predecessor having firmly refused to do so. While Innocent XI had refused to name him as a cardinal due to Forbin-Janson's support for the [[Gallicanism|Gallican]] proposals in 1682, Alexander VIII opted to name him a cardinal in an attempt to smooth over tense relations with King Louis XIV who had been on relatively poor terms with Innocent XI. As a further overture to the French monarch, Alexander VIII also named two more French cardinals, a move that largely irked [[Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor]] and saw the emperor withdraw his ambassador to the Holy See. Moreover, the pontiff was less concerned with the emperor's actions primarily because the emperor had primarily been indifferent to defending against the Ottoman Empire in favor of hostility with the French.