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Papal Conclave of 1799–1800

When
1797–1800
Where
Valence, France; Benedictine San Giorgio Monastery, Venice; Conclave at San Giorgio Monastery, Venice; Diocese of Imola; Rome / France
Episodes
6

The papal conclave of 1799–1800, held in Venice after Pius VI died a French prisoner at Valence, elected Cardinal Barnaba Chiaramonti as Pius VII on 14 March 1800, ending a stalemate between Bellisomi and Mattei.

Episodes

  1. 1797 · Diocese of ImolaChiaramonti's Conduct in Imola

    Chiaramonti had stayed in Imola after Bonaparte's army assumed his diocese in 1797, declaring that good Christians could make good democrats.

  2. 29 August 1799 · Valence, FranceDeath of Pius VI in French Captivity

    Pius VI, a prisoner of France, was moved through Parma, Turin, and Grenoble to Valence, dying there on 29 August 1799.

  3. 30 November 1799 · Benedictine San Giorgio Monastery, VeniceConclave Opens at San Giorgio, Venice

    Under Pius VI's 1798 ordinance, cardinals convened on 30 November 1799 at the Benedictine San Giorgio Monastery in Venice, voting in its night chapel.

  4. 30 November 1799 – March 1800 · Conclave at San Giorgio Monastery, VeniceStalemate Between Bellisomi and Mattei

    The assembled cardinals remained deadlocked between Bellisomi and Mattei from the conclave's opening until March 1800.

  5. 14 March 1800 · Conclave at San Giorgio Monastery, VeniceElection of Chiaramonti as Pius VII

    On 14 March 1800 the conclave elected Cardinal Barnaba Chiaramonti, bishop of Imola, who accepted and took the name Pius VII.

  6. 11 August 1800 · Rome / FranceConsalvi's Rise After the Conclave

    Ercole Consalvi was created a cardinal on 11 August 1800, became cardinal secretary of state, and negotiated the Concordat of 1801 with Napoleon.

Background and detail

Background. French troops under Berthier entered Rome unopposed on 13 February 1798, proclaimed a Roman Republic, and demanded Pius VI renounce his temporal authority. The French declaration of war on Tuscany led to Pius's removal to the citadel of Valence, where he died on 29 August 1799.

Conclave Arrangements. Because Rome was unavailable, a 1798 ordinance of Pius VI directed that the conclave meet in the city with the greatest number of cardinals. The Benedictine San Giorgio Monastery in Venice was chosen, with voting in its night chapel; the conclave opened on 30 November 1799.

Election and Aftermath. On 14 March 1800, with the support of conclave secretary Consalvi, Chiaramonti was elected and took the name Pius VII in honour of his predecessor. Consalvi was created a cardinal on 11 August 1800 and became cardinal secretary of state, later negotiating the Concordat of 1801.

People involved

  • Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti (Pius VII) · Cardinal bishop of Imola; elected pope on 14 March 1800
  • Pius VI · Deceased pope whose death precipitated the conclave; died at Valence on 29 August 1799
  • Ercole Consalvi · Conclave secretary whose support aided Chiaramonti's election; later cardinal secretary of state
  • Alessandro Mattei · Cardinal in the stalemate with Bellisomi that lasted until March 1800
  • Bellisomi · Cardinal in the stalemate with Mattei that lasted until March 1800
  • Cardinal Herzan · Imperial plenipotentiary who had not presented credentials to the College of Cardinals by 28 December 1799

Sources

  1. 1799–1800 conclave Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-19
  2. Pope Pius VII Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-20

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.