Clement XI

Clement XI. (Gian Francesco Albani) was born at Pesaro in 1649, and succeeded Innocent XII. in the papacy in 1700. In consequence of his attitude towards Austria the states of the Church were occupied by Imperial troops in 1707. He took up a strongly aggressive position towards the Jansenists, who were gaining head in France, issuing first the bull Vineam Domini, and subsequently that known as Unigenitus, the latter being specially directed against the work of Pere Quesnel, which had secured the approval of the Archbishop of Paris. In 1715 he supported the Pretender in his claim to the English throne, and gave him hospitality at Rome. His learning was considerable, and he patronised the arts liberally. He died in 1721.