# Pope Clement X

_Pope of the Catholic Church from 1670 to 1676 (1590-1676)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/pope-clement-x
Last updated: 2026-11-03

> Pope Clement X (Latin: Clemens X; Italian: Clemente X; 13 July 1590 – 22 July 1676), born Emilio Bonaventura Altieri, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 29 April 1670 to his death on 22 July 1676.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 13 July 1590 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q155956#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Rome ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q155956#P19))
- **Died:** 22 July 1676 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q155956#P570))
- **Place of death:** Rome ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q155956#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Papal States ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q155956#P27))
- **Occupation:** diplomat; Catholic priest; Catholic bishop ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q155956#P106))
- **Education:** Sapienza University of Rome; Pontifical Gregorian University ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q155956#P69))
- **Positions held:** Pope (29 April 1670 – 22 July 1676); Roman Catholic Bishop of Camerino (29 November 1627 – 7 June 1666) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q155956#P39))

## About

Emilio Bonaventura Altieri, born in Rome in 1590, belonged to the Papal nobility. He received a doctorate in law and held various positions within the Catholic Church, including Bishop of Camerino and Superintendent of the Papal Exchequer. At the age of almost 80, he was elected Pope Clement X in 1670 after a four-month-long conclave. As Pope, he canonized and beatified various saints, promoted good relations between Christian countries, and made efforts to preserve the Altieri family name by adopting the Paoluzzi family. He also established a new tax in Rome, which led to conflicts with ambassadors and cardinals. Clement X celebrated the fourteenth jubilee of the holy year in 1675 despite his old age. During his pontificate, he created 20 cardinals, including Pietro Francesco Orsini, who later became Pope Benedict XIII.

He suspended the Portuguese Inquisition's proceedings in October 1674, challenging the techniques employed against its main victims, the New Christians.

## Questions

**When was Pope Clement X born?**  
Pope Clement X was born on 13 July 1590 in Rome.

**What positions has Pope Clement X held?**  
Positions held by Pope Clement X include: Pope (1670–1676); Roman Catholic Bishop of Camerino (1627–1666).

**Where did Pope Clement X study?**  
Pope Clement X was educated at Sapienza University of Rome, Pontifical Gregorian University.

## Related

- [Pope Telesphorus](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-telesphorus)
- [Pope Gregory XIII](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-gregory-xiii)
- [Pope Clement VII](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-clement-vii)
- [Pope Pius I](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-pius-i)
- [Pope Boniface I](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-boniface-i)
- [Pope Agapetus I](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-agapetus-i)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Pope Clement X](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Clement_X) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q155956](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q155956) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Portrait of Pope Clement X, by Giovanni Battista Gaulli (Baciccio) - Metropolitan Museum of Art.jpg by Giovanni Battista Gaulli (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Portrait_of_Pope_Clement_X,_by_Giovanni_Battista_Gaulli_(Baciccio)_-_Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Pope Clement X, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Portrait of Pope Clement X, by Giovanni Battista Gaulli (Baciccio) - Metropolitan Museum of Art.jpg — Giovanni Battista Gaulli, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Pope Clement X". DigiNepal. Last updated 3 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/pope-clement-x. Retrieved 5 November 2026.