Pope Alexander VIII

Pietro Vito Ottoboni was a lawyer before entering the church, elected pope at seventy-nine on 6 October 1689. He immediately reversed the policies of Innocent XI, choosing to practice nepotism and funnel papal wealth to his relatives until the treasury ran dry. His successor would have to impose austerity to repair the damage. In his brief tenure he condemned the doctrine of "philosophical sin" being taught in Jesuit schools and saw King Louis XIV return Avignon to the Papal States. He died in February 1691, having held the office sixteen months — the last pope to take the name Alexander.