Page "Pope Urban VIII" Paragraph 22

According to contemporary John Bargrave, in 1636 members of the Spanish faction of the College of Cardinals were so horrified by the conduct of Pope Urban VIII that they conspired to have him arrested and imprisoned ( or killed ) so that they could replace him with a new pope ; namely Laudivio Zacchia.

When Urban travelled to Castel Gandolfo to rest, the members of the Spanish faction met in secret and discussed ways to progress their plan.

But they were discovered and the Pope raced back to Rome where he immediately held a consistory and demanded to know who the new pope was.

To put an end to the conspiracy, the pope decreed that all Cardinal-Bishops should leave Rome and return to their own churches.