Following the death of Pope Paul III in November 1549, Cardinal du Bellay headed for Rome once again. He and the other French cardinals were sent by Henry II, who also sent letters to Rome, threatening trouble if the cardinals in Rome did not wait for the French cardinals before they began the Conclave. Du Bellay obtained eight votes in the conclave to elect the new pope. This is remarkable, since there were more than twenty Cardinals in the French faction. Evidently he did not have the favour of the French King. The leading candidates were Reginald Pole, Giovanni Morone, and Gian Pietro Carafa; Cardinal du Bellay was not "papabile". On 25 February 1550 he was promoted suburbicarian Bishop of Albano by the new pope, Julius III, replacing Cardinal Ennio Filonardi, who had died during the Conclave.