1829 conclave
| Papal conclave February–March 1829 | |
|---|---|
| Dates and location | |
| 24 February – 31 March 1829 Quirinal Palace, Papal States | |
| Key officials | |
| Dean | Giulio Maria della Somaglia |
| Sub-dean | Bartolomeo Pacca |
| Camerlengo | Pietro Francesco Galleffi |
| Protopriest | Giuseppe Firrao Jr. |
| Protodeacon | Giuseppe Albani |
| Secretary | Paolo Polidori |
| Election | |
| Electors | 50 (8 absentees) |
| Candidates | |
| Vetoed | Bartolomeo Pacca |
| Elected pope | |
| Francesco Castiglioni Name taken: Pius VIII | |
A papal conclave was held from 24 February to 31 March 1829 to elect a new pope to succeed Leo XII, who had died on 10 February. Of the 50 eligible cardinal electors, all but eight attended. On the final ballot, the conclave elected Cardinal Francesco Castiglioni, the prefect of the Congregation of the Index. After accepting his election, he took the name Pius VIII.
It took a long time for the conclave to elect a new pope due to conflict between secular governments concerning who should be elected. Cardinal Emmanuele De Gregorio was the proposed candidate of the pro-French faction and the zelanti (conservative cardinals), whilst Cardinal Bartolomeo Pacca was proposed by the more moderate cardinals, but he was not accepted by the French government of the Bourbon Restoration, headed by King Charles X and Prime Minister Jean Baptiste Gay. Pacca was also seen by many in the conclave as being too gentle to be an effective pope.