Editing Pope Innocent XI (section)

===Relations with France===
[[File:Piastre à l'effigie du Pape Innocent XI (1678-1679).jpg|thumb|Innocent XI (1678–1679)]]
The pontificate of Innocent XI was marked by the struggle between the absolutism and hegemonic intentions of Louis XIV, and the primacy of the Catholic Church. As early as 1673, Louis had by his own power extended the right of the ''[[régale]]'' over the provinces of [[Languedoc]], [[Guyenne]], [[Provence]], and [[Dauphiné]], where it had previously not been exercised.

All the efforts of Innocent XI to induce Louis XIV to respect the rights and primacy of the Church proved useless. In 1682, the King convoked an [[assembly of the French clergy]] which adopted the four articles that became known as the [[Gallican Liberties]]. Innocent XI annulled the four articles on 11 April 1682, and refused his approbation to all future episcopal candidates who had taken part in the assembly.<ref name=kelly287/>

To appease the Pope, Louis XIV began to act as a zealot of Catholicism. In 1685, he revoked the [[Edict of Nantes]] and inaugurated a persecution of French [[Huguenots]]. Innocent expressed displeasure at these drastic measures and continued to withhold his approbation from the episcopal candidates.

[[File:Innocent XI Dec 1688.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Tachard, with [[Ayutthaya Kingdom|Siam]]ese envoys, translating the letter of King [[Narai]] to Pope Innocent XI, December 1688]]

Innocent XI irritated the King still more that same year by abolishing the much abused [[right of asylum]], by which foreign ambassadors in Rome had been able to harbor in embassies any criminal wanted by the papal court of justice. He notified the new French ambassador, [[Marquis de Lavardin]], that he would not be recognised as ambassador in Rome unless he renounced this right, but Louis XIV would not give it up. At the head of an armed force of about 800 men Lavardin entered Rome in November 1687, and took forcible possession of his palace. Innocent XI treated him as [[excommunication|excommunicated]] and on 24 December 1687 placed under [[interdict]] the [[San Luigi dei Francesi|Church of St. Louis]] at Rome where Lavardin attended services.<ref name=kelly288/>

In January 1688, Innocent XI received the diplomatic mission which had been dispatched to France and the Holy See by [[Narai]], the King of [[Ayutthaya Kingdom|Siam]], under [[Guy Tachard]] and [[Ok-khun Chamnan]] in order to establish relations.