Innocent in 1724 invests the Holy Roman emperor Charles VI with sovereignty over the Kingdom of Naples.

Like his predecessor, Innocent XIII has showed much favor to the English Pretender "James III", and liberally supported him, recognizing James (the Old Pretender) as the king of England and promising him subsidies conditional upon the reestablishment of Roman Catholicism in England.

Following his death on March 7, 1724, he is succeeded by Pietro Francesco Orsini, later Vincenzo Maria Orsini, a member of the great Orsini family of Rome, and the third and last member of that family to become Pope.

At first, he calls himself Benedict XIV (due to the superstition alleging that the number thirteen brings bad luck), but afterwards alters the title to Benedict XIII.

A reforming Pope, he endeavors to put a stop to the decadent lifestyles of the Italian priesthood and of the cardinalate.