In 1241, Rome, Italy adopted the practice of forced seclusion of its Catholic cardinal electors to break prolonged deadlocks during its elections of the Pope. In 1268, the city of Viterbo, Italy resorted to more drastic measures refusing to provide any materials except bread and water. When even this measure failed to produce results, the townspeople removed the roof until a solution was reached. Pope Gregory X further introduced secluding the Cardinals in a closed area and were not even accorded separate rooms. Food was to be supplied through a window; after three days of impasse, the cardinals were to receive only one meal a day; after five days, they would be relegated to receiving only bread and water; during the entire period, no cardinal would receive ecclesiastical compensation.



