In 1685 he was elected bishop of Macerata and Tolentino, April 9, 1685, and later was appointed Nuncio in Cologne in 1696. Pope Innocent XII elevated him to the rank of cardinal in the consistory of 19 December 1698, and he became archbishop of Ferrara. He became Cardinal Secretary of State during the pontificate of Pope Clement XI. On Clement's death, at the succeeding conclave of 1721, Paolucci was the strongest candidate to succeed, but was vetoed by Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor as he considered him too close to the French.
In 1685 he was elected bishop of Macerata and Tolentino, April 9, 1685, and later was appointed Nuncio in Cologne in 1696.
case
in
In
ADP
IN
obl
NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card
1685
1685
NUM
CD
nsubj:pass
Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs
he
he
PRON
PRP
aux:pass
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
be
was
AUX
VBD
root
Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass
elect
elected
VERB
VBN
xcomp
Number=Sing
bishop
bishop
NOUN
NN
case
of
of
ADP
IN
nmod
Number=Sing
Macerata
Macerata
PROPN
NNP
cc
and
and
CCONJ
CC
conj
Number=Sing
Tolentino
Tolentino
PROPN
NNP
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
appos
Number=Sing
April
April
PROPN
NNP
nummod
NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card
9
9
NUM
CD
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
nummod
NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card
1685
1685
NUM
CD
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
cc
and
and
CCONJ
CC
advmod
Degree=Cmp
late
later
ADV
RBR
aux:pass
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
be
was
AUX
VBD
conj
Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass
appoint
appointed
VERB
VBN
xcomp
Number=Sing
Nuncio
Nuncio
PROPN
NNP
case
in
in
ADP
IN
obl
Number=Sing
Cologne
Cologne
PROPN
NNP
case
in
in
ADP
IN
obl
NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card
1696
1696
NUM
CD
punct
.
.
PUNCT
.
ope Innocent XII elevated him to the rank of cardinal in the consistory of 19 December 1698, and he became archbishop of Ferrara. 
nsubj
Number=Sing
Pope
Pope
PROPN
NNP
flat
Number=Sing
Innocent
Innocent
PROPN
NNP
flat
Number=Sing
XII
XII
PROPN
NNP
root
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
elevate
elevated
VERB
VBD
obj
Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs
he
him
PRON
PRP
case
to
to
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
obl
Number=Sing
rank
rank
NOUN
NN
case
of
of
ADP
IN
nmod
Number=Sing
cardinal
cardinal
NOUN
NN
case
in
in
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
obl
Number=Sing
consistory
consistory
NOUN
NN
case
of
of
ADP
IN
nummod
NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card
19
19
NUM
CD
nmod
Number=Sing
December
December
PROPN
NNP
nummod
NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card
1698
1698
NUM
CD
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
cc
and
and
CCONJ
CC
nsubj
Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs
he
he
PRON
PRP
conj
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
become
became
VERB
VBD
xcomp
Number=Sing
archbishop
archbishop
NOUN
NN
case
of
of
ADP
IN
nmod
Number=Sing
Ferrara
Ferrara
PROPN
NNP
punct
.
.
PUNCT
.
 became Cardinal Secretary of State during the pontificate of Pope Clement XI. On Clement's death, at the succeeding conclave of 1721, Paolucci was the strongest candidate to succeed, but was vetoed by Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor as he considered him too close to the French.
nsubj
Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs
he
He
PRON
PRP
root
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
become
became
VERB
VBD
compound
Number=Sing
Cardinal
Cardinal
PROPN
NNP
xcomp
Number=Sing
Secretary
Secretary
PROPN
NNP
case
of
of
ADP
IN
nmod
Number=Sing
State
State
PROPN
NNP
case
during
during
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
obl
Number=Sing
pontificate
pontificate
NOUN
NN
case
of
of
ADP
IN
nmod
Number=Sing
Pope
Pope
PROPN
NNP
flat
Number=Sing
Clement
Clement
PROPN
NNP
flat
Number=Sing
XI
XI
PROPN
NNP
punct
.
.
PUNCT
.
case
on
On
ADP
IN
nmod:poss
Number=Sing
Clement
Clement
PROPN
NNP
case
's
's
PART
POS
obl
Number=Sing
death
death
NOUN
NN
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
case
at
at
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
amod
VerbForm=Ger
succeed
succeeding
VERB
VBG
obl
Number=Sing
conclave
conclave
NOUN
NN
case
of
of
ADP
IN
nmod
NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card
1721
1721
NUM
CD
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
nsubj
Number=Sing
Paolucci
Paolucci
PROPN
NNP
cop
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
be
was
AUX
VBD
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
amod
Degree=Sup
strong
strongest
ADJ
JJS
parataxis
Number=Sing
candidate
candidate
NOUN
NN
mark
to
to
PART
TO
acl
VerbForm=Inf
succeed
succeed
VERB
VB
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
cc
but
but
CCONJ
CC
aux:pass
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
be
was
AUX
VBD
conj
Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass
veto
vetoed
VERB
VBN
case
by
by
ADP
IN
obl:agent
Number=Sing
Charles
Charles
PROPN
NNP
flat
Number=Sing
VI
VI
PROPN
NNP
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
amod
Degree=Pos
Holy
Holy
ADJ
JJ
amod
Degree=Pos
Roman
Roman
ADJ
JJ
appos
Number=Sing
Emperor
Emperor
PROPN
NNP
mark
as
as
SCONJ
IN
nsubj
Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs
he
he
PRON
PRP
advcl
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
consider
considered
VERB
VBD
obj
Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs
he
him
PRON
PRP
advmod
too
too
ADV
RB
xcomp
Degree=Pos
close
close
ADV
RB
case
to
to
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
obl
Number=Sing
French
French
PROPN
NNP
punct
.
.
PUNCT
.