Editing Pope Clement X (section)

===Local administration===
Meanwhile, Rome had reason to fear trouble. Cardinal Paluzzi Altieri, who was at the head of the government, determined to increase the revenues, and he established a new tax of three percent upon all merchandise entering the city, including even goods for cardinals and ambassadors. Although the government complained that ambassadors had abused their privilege, the diplomatic corps showed discontent that they were not expressly exempted in the new tax law.

Another edict confirmed the first and ordered the confiscation without distinction of all goods that did not pay the new tax. The cardinals at first complained, though with moderation. But the ambassadors didn't speak Clement X's language.

The Cardinal nephew maintained that Clement X, within his own State, might make what rules he pleased. Then the ambassadors of the [[Habsburg monarchy|Empire]], of [[Kingdom of France|France]], [[Habsburg Spain|Spain]], and [[Republic of Venice|Venice]], sent their secretaries to demand an audience of the Pope. The chief chamberlain replied that the Pope was busy that day. And for four days in succession, the chamberlain gave the same answer to the same applicants. Clement X, learning at length what had occurred, declared that he had given no such order. The ambassadors then sent their secretaries to ask an audience of Cardinal Paluzzi Altieri. Not only did he refuse to admit them, but closed his doors and increased the guard at the pontifical palace, so that the offence could go no further. Subsequently, the Cardinal nephew wrote to the [[nuncio]]s who resided in the courts of Europe, stating that the excesses committed by the ambassadors had induced the pope to publish the edict. The ambassadors, on the contrary, assured their sovereigns that the accusation was a pretext.

The conflict lasted for more than a year; and Clement X, who loved peace, at length referred the matter to a congregation. Sometime after, Cardinal Paluzzi Altieri declared that he had not intended to comprise the ambassadors among those for whom the edict was intended, and that the pope had never contemplated subjecting them to it.

Queen [[Christina of Sweden]], who had become a Catholic and moved to Rome in December 1655, made Clement X prohibit the custom of chasing [[Jews]] through the streets during the [[carnival]]. In 1686 she issued a declaration that Roman Jews stood under her protection, signed ''la Regina''&nbsp;– the queen.<ref>Elisabeth Aasen: ''Barokke damer'', edited by Pax, Oslo 2003, {{ISBN|82-530-2817-2}}</ref>