Pope Innocent XIII

Michelangelo dei Conti came from the ancient Conti family that had already given the Church several popes. His brief, uneventful pontificate sought to calm the storms left by Unigenitus, governing more quietly than his predecessor. He invested Emperor Charles VI with Naples and Sicily and granted James Stuart, the Jacobite Old Pretender, a pension. Often in poor health, he is said to have been wary of the Jesuits, reportedly demanding they admit no new members in some regions, though accounts of his intentions vary. He died after roughly three years, leaving few lasting initiatives but a reputation for moderation and personal dignity.