page_title: Hélie de Talleyrand-Périgord (cardinal)
section_title: Death of John XXII and Conclave of 1334
hierarchical_section_title: Hélie de Talleyrand-Périgord (cardinal) / Cardinal / Death of John XXII and Conclave of 1334
caption_attribution_description: Avignon, Palais des Papes, France
context_page_description: Hélie de Talleyrand-Périgord was a French Cardinal, from one of the most aristocratic families in Périgord, south-west France. Hélie was born at Périgueux, third son of Elias VII, Count of Périgord, and Brunissende of Foix, daughter of Roger Bernard III, comte de Foix. His elder brothers were Archambaud (IV), who inherited the County, and Roger-Bernard; his younger brother was Fortanier, and his sisters were Agnes, Jeanne, Marguerite, and Rosemburge. As a third son Hélie was destined for an ecclesiastical career. His brother, Roger Bernard, too, had an ecclesiastical career, becoming Canon of Lyon. But then, the eldest son died, and Roger-Bernard became the Count of Périgord. Hélie became a major figure in the Avignon papacy, and also a diplomat engaged in the negotiations of the Hundred Years' War, having friendships in both English and French royal families. In his last months he had been appointed Papal Legate for a crusade against the Turks.
context_section_description: Pope John XXII died on Sunday, December 4, 1334.  On the day before, the Pope had a bedside meeting with the Cardinals in Avignon;  his successor provides a list of the twenty cardinals, including Talleyrand de Périgord, who were present. Four cardinals were not present, Napoleone Orsini and Giovanni Gaetano Orsini among them. It was at this meeting that the Pope recanted his notions about the Beatific Vision, which had so unsettled Christendom.
  The Conclave opened on 13 December 1334.  The early discussions were not about a particular candidate, but about the need to extract a promise from all the candidates that the new Pope would move the Roman Curia back to Rome.  John XXII had made promises in that direction, and his failure, with one excuse after another, seriously angered the senior Italian cardinal, Napoleone Orsini.  Cardinal Napoleone therefore led a group of cardinals who were demanding a return to Rome.  Cardinal Hélie de Talleyrand led a group of French cardinals who were just as determined to keep the Curia in Avignon.  According to Giovanni Villani, the cardinals led by Talleyrand thought that they had found a pope in Cardinal Jean-Raymond de Comminges. But when he was approached and asked to take the oath that was being demanded, he refused.  Finally, on 20 December 1334, a sufficient number of votes was accumulated by the Cistercian Cardinal Jacques Fournier, who became Pope Benedict XII.
  In 1336 King Philip VI of France was in Avignon, and a crusade was agreed on.  Four cardinals took the cross on that occasion:  Annibaldo di Ceccano, Hélie de Talleyrand, Gauscelin de Jean Duèse, and Bertrand du Pouget.  None of them ever made the trip.  In the summer of 1340, the King authorized the two parties in a dispute between the Count of Foix and the Monastery of Lézat to choose their own arbitrators; one of those chosen was Cardinal de Talleyrand.
  Talleyrand had been assigned by Pope Benedict XII, probably in 1341, as Auditor to hear the case of Lampredius, Bishop of Trau (Traguriensis), who refused to cooperate with the proceedings.  Talleyrand declared him contumacious and suspended him from office.  But then Pope Benedict died.  The new pope, Clement VI, supported Talleyrand, however, and renewed the suspension, authorizing the Subdeacon of Trau, Desa Andreae, to assume the spiritual and temporal direction of the diocese.
  In 1346, Cardinal de Talleyrand negotiated the purchase of the castle of Albarupe (Auberoche) in Périgord from the Duke and Duchess of Brittany, which had belonged to their nephew the Count of Limoges but which had been occupied by enemies of the king by stealth and betrayal.  The Duke and Duchess were eager to see the Castle in responsible hands, and so they sold it to the brother of the Count of Périgord.
  In 1347, Cardinal de Talleyrand founded the Chapel of S. Antoine in the Cathedral of Saint Front de Périgueux.  It was to be served by twelve chaplains, appointed by the Cathedral Chapter on the recommendation of the Counts of Périgord.  The action was approved by Pope Clement VI in a bull of 26 June 1347.  In his Testament he left the chaplains 150 gold florins.
  On 4 November 1348 Pope Clement VI promoted Cardinal de Talleyrand to be Cardinal-Bishop of Albano (1348-1364), and, in 1361 seniority made him Dean of the College of Cardinals (1361-1364), following the death of Cardinal Pierre de Pratis (des Près).
caption: Palace of the Popes, Avignon
exif: {}