Pope Clement XII (246º): Biography, Pontificate & Legacy

Who Was Pope Clement XII?

Among the 267 popes, Clement XII is number 246, remembered for the years 12 July 1730–6 February 1740 in the early modern and Counter-Reformation era. Subject of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Use the sections below to move from a one-line summary of Clement XII to a usable historical and spiritual picture.

Early Life & Background

Before election he was known as Lorenzo Corsini. Born 7 April 1652 Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, he entered a world shaped by politics and piety very different from today's global Church.

Historical Context

Clement XII (#undefined) guided Catholics through Trent's reforms, global missions, and nation-states that challenged older papal temporal claims. Completed the new façade of the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran(1735).

Pontificate & Key Events

The pontificate (12 July 1730–6 February 1740) centered on governance during the early modern and Counter-Reformation era. Condemned Freemasonry in In eminenti apostolatus(1738).

Papal Acts & Achievements

Acts associated with Clement XII (#246, 12 July 1730–6 February 1740) still draw historians and Catholics who want more than a one-line summary. His reign remains a link in the succession now counted at 267 popes. Papal motto: Dabis discernere inter malum et bonum ("You shall deign to distinguish between good and evil").

Key Highlights

• 246th pope of the Catholic Church
• Pontificate: 12 July 1730–6 February 1740
• Shepherded the Church during the early modern and Counter-Reformation era
• Successor of St. Peter in the official Catholic list

Legacy in the Catholic Church

Clement XII remains pope 246º in the Annuario Pontificio. Set against the early modern and Counter-Reformation era, Clement XII's choices show both the limits of any one pontiff and the continuity of the office he held.

Why Catholics Study This Pope Today

Reading Clement XII as pope 246º (12 July 1730–6 February 1740) is a way to study how Rome answered the crises of the early modern and Counter-Reformation era. Start with the concrete record: Commissioned the Trevi Fountain in Rome (1732). Completed the new façade of the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran(1735). Where bulls, conciliar acts, or encyclicals survive from this reign, they repay readers who want primary sources rather than summaries alone. Then step back to the full list of 267 popes to see where Clement XII sits between crisis and consolidation.

Place in the Line of Succession

Clement XII followed Pope Servant of God Benedict XIII (245º, 29 May 1724–21 February 1730) after a transition shaped by the politics and piety of their shared century. He was followed by Pope Benedict XIV (247º, 17 August 1740–3 May 1758), whose biography continues the chain on Guide Catholic. For the full chronological map, see our complete list of all 267 popes — then read neighboring biographies for contrast, not only continuity.