Papal conclave, 1700

Coat of arms during the vacancy of the Holy See
Dates and location
9 October – 23 November 1700 Apostolic Palace, Papal States
Key officials
Dean	Emmanuel Théodose de La Tour d'Auvergne
Sub-Dean	Nicolò Acciaioli
Camerlengo	Giambattista Spinola
Protopriest	Carlo Barberini
Protodeacon	Benedetto Pamphili
Election
Vetoed	Galeazzo Marescotti
Elected Pope
Giovanni Francesco Albani (Name taken: Clement XI)
← 1691 1721 →

The conclave of 1700 was a papal conclave convened following the death of Pope Innocent XII. It ended in the election of Pope Clement XI.

One of Innocent XII's last acts as pope was linked to the Spanish succession. The Habsburg Charles II of Spain was dying at this time and had no children. At Charles' request, Innocent advised that the throne pass to Philip of Anjou, grandson of Louis XIV of France, due to the close kinship between Louis and Charles. Philip succeeding to the Spanish throne was seen as a threat to the balance of power by other European nations, leading to the War of the Spanish Succession.

The succession was not welcomed by the Austrian Habsburgs, with Leopold I immediately announcing that he would not accept Philip's claim to the throne of Spain and thus hinting that he not only intended to resort to war but also to ensure the Spanish throne passed to a Habsburg claimant. With continent-wide war looming, Innocent died and the papacy became vacant. The conclave recognised that it could get bogged down in conflict between pro-Empire and pro-French candidates in the college of cardinals and paralyzed by a long series of votes - it thus took a shortcut.

The conclave opened on 9 October, with Galeazzo Marescotti as the main candidate - he was a former apostolic nuncio in Austria, Poland and Spain. However, his chances of being elected fell due to France's veto. Other likely candidates included Carlo Barberini, Leandro Colloredo, Bandino Panciatichi, Giambattista Spinola, Marcello Durazzo, Jacopo Antonio Morigia and Niccolò Acciaiuoli.