Conclave 1559

A papal election is compelling theatre. It is a unique event, conducted with magnificent and arcane ceremonial in a format that has remained largely unchanged for centuries. The death of John Paul II in 2005 marked the start of a three-week media frenzy, with blanket coverage in the newspapers and on television, and armies of 'experts' interviewed to throw light on what was happening behind the locked doors of the Vatican. Another conclave is expected in the near future - and it will engender a similar fascination with what is one of the most unpredictable events in global politics. Conclaves have so often changed the course of history but their details remain shrouded in secrecy. Legend may have it that the Holy Ghost chooses the pope, but we can be sure a conclave is primarily about power: the cardinal who successfully engineers two-thirds of the votes in his favour will become a leading figure on the world stage. In 1559, as in 2013, the papacy was in crisis, under attack for its reluctance to embrace the need to reform abuses; the college of cardinals too was deeply divided between moderates and conservatives, as well as between personal rivalries and national factions; and a conclave was imminent. In 1559 the election of Pius IV would signal the start of the Counter-Reformation – perhaps it will provide a model for conclaves yet to come.