The Ecclesiastical The Ecclesiastical BreakdownBreakdown

13th Century Papacy13th Century Papacy• Innocent III Innocent III

– Plentitude of PowerPlentitude of Power – authority to – authority to declare saints, disposed benefices, declare saints, disposed benefices, centralize church with a political agenda.centralize church with a political agenda.

– Turned the church into a businessTurned the church into a business• Urban IVUrban IV

– Rota Romana Rota Romana – – established a established a ecclesiastical law courtecclesiastical law court

– Clerical taxationClerical taxation• 1313thth C Papacy was dominated by its own C Papacy was dominated by its own

political agenda, centralized power, and political agenda, centralized power, and personal lawspersonal laws

Innocent IIIInnocent III

Urban IVUrban IV

Boniface VIIIBoniface VIII• When Boniface VIII When Boniface VIII

became pope 1294 he became pope 1294 he would come to realize would come to realize that the papacy could that the papacy could no longer compete no longer compete with the political with the political powers of Europe like powers of Europe like England under Edward England under Edward I and France under I and France under Philip IVPhilip IV

• Why?Why?

Boniface VIIIBoniface VIII• To finance their wars England and France tax the To finance their wars England and France tax the

clergy (Goes against a ruling by Innocent III)clergy (Goes against a ruling by Innocent III)• Boniface reacts – Boniface reacts – Clericis laicosClericis laicos – – no taxation no taxation

without papal consent – 5 Feb 1296without papal consent – 5 Feb 1296• Reactions – Reactions –

– England – Edward I denies clergy representation in England – Edward I denies clergy representation in parliamentparliament

– France – Philip IV forbids money going to Rome and France – Philip IV forbids money going to Rome and backs the enemies of the Vatican in Italybacks the enemies of the Vatican in Italy

• Boniface – revokes his ruling for the French onlyBoniface – revokes his ruling for the French only

The Ordeal of Boniface and Philip The Ordeal of Boniface and Philip • Bernard Saisset – French clergyman was arrested Bernard Saisset – French clergyman was arrested

and convicted of treason in a French courtand convicted of treason in a French court• Boniface demands his release and revokes all Boniface demands his release and revokes all

previous treaties with Philipprevious treaties with Philip• Philip retaliates with an anti-papal campaignPhilip retaliates with an anti-papal campaign• Unam Sanctum Unam Sanctum – 18 Nov 1302 – temporal – 18 Nov 1302 – temporal

(secular) power was subject to the spiritual power (secular) power was subject to the spiritual power of the churchof the church

• Philip denounces him as a heretic and the French Philip denounces him as a heretic and the French army will attack Boniface’s retreat homearmy will attack Boniface’s retreat home

• Boniface will die Oct 1303 – the last pope to try and Boniface will die Oct 1303 – the last pope to try and seriously threaten secular powerseriously threaten secular power

Philip IVPhilip IV

• Ruthless and Ruthless and ambitious manambitious man

• Clement V Clement V appointed pope appointed pope was controlled by was controlled by PhilipPhilip

• Knights Templar Knights Templar disbanded, Friday disbanded, Friday October 13, 1307October 13, 1307

• Papacy moved to Papacy moved to Avignon 1309Avignon 1309

AvignonAvignon• Avignon popes were Avignon popes were

heavily influenced by heavily influenced by French politicsFrench politics

• An immediate problem An immediate problem was money – how to was money – how to raise itraise it

• Being cut off from RomeBeing cut off from Rome• Clement VI began the Clement VI began the

practice of selling practice of selling indulgencesindulgences

• The Avignon papacy will The Avignon papacy will give reformers the fuel give reformers the fuel for their beliefsfor their beliefs

♠

Pope John XXII – Pope John XXII – Powerful Powerful Avignon PopeAvignon Pope

• Confrontation between John and Louis IV (HRE)Confrontation between John and Louis IV (HRE)• Challenges Louis IV for the rival Habsburg Challenges Louis IV for the rival Habsburg • John excommunicated Louis and his supportersJohn excommunicated Louis and his supporters• Louis appoints an antipope to replace JohnLouis appoints an antipope to replace John• – – Defender of PeaceDefender of Peace (Marsilius of Padua) – (Marsilius of Padua) –

depicted the pope as a subordinate member of depicted the pope as a subordinate member of society – denounced as a hereticsociety – denounced as a heretic

• After John the papacy will After John the papacy will become entrenched in Avignonbecome entrenched in Avignon

How did Europe view AvignonHow did Europe view Avignon• England considered the Avignon papacy an England considered the Avignon papacy an

enemy during the Hundred Years’ Warenemy during the Hundred Years’ War• French (Gallican) movement –French (Gallican) movement –

– Power to regulate ecclesiastical appointments without Power to regulate ecclesiastical appointments without interference from the papacyinterference from the papacy

– No annual payments to the papacyNo annual payments to the papacy

John Wycliffe and John HussJohn Wycliffe and John Huss

John WycliffeJohn Wycliffe• BeliefsBeliefs

– Followers called LollardsFollowers called Lollards– Rights of royalty against pretensions of the popeRights of royalty against pretensions of the pope– Clerical poverty – believed government had the right Clerical poverty – believed government had the right

to confiscate church landsto confiscate church lands– Personal merit not rank true basis for religious Personal merit not rank true basis for religious

authorityauthority– Challenged indulgences and the authority of scriptureChallenged indulgences and the authority of scripture– Preached in the vernacularPreached in the vernacular

• When the Lollard movement became associated When the Lollard movement became associated with the Peasants Revolt they were disbandedwith the Peasants Revolt they were disbanded

John HussJohn Huss• Rector at the University Rector at the University

of Pragueof Prague• Was a pro-Wycliffe Was a pro-Wycliffe

supporter and adopted supporter and adopted his teachingshis teachings

• Questioned the clergy’s Questioned the clergy’s superiority over the laitysuperiority over the laity

• Was tricked into having Was tricked into having an audience at the an audience at the Council of Constance – Council of Constance – was burned at the stake was burned at the stake in July 1415in July 1415

The Great SchismThe Great Schism• Babylonian Captivity ended in 1377 when Babylonian Captivity ended in 1377 when

Gregory XI returned the papacy to RomeGregory XI returned the papacy to Rome• The problemThe problem

– Urban VI (Italian) was elected Pope – intended to Urban VI (Italian) was elected Pope – intended to reformreform

– The cardinals in the curia were 99% French – fearful The cardinals in the curia were 99% French – fearful of reform they called for the return to Avignonof reform they called for the return to Avignon

– They elected their own pope Clement VII (French)They elected their own pope Clement VII (French)– At that moment there were two popes each with their At that moment there were two popes each with their

own backing from European countriesown backing from European countries

How to solve the SchismHow to solve the Schism• Conciliar Theory of Church GovernmentConciliar Theory of Church Government

– Many believed that the church should have a Many believed that the church should have a representative council that regulates and observes representative council that regulates and observes the activities of the popethe activities of the pope

• Council of Pisa 1409 – 1410Council of Pisa 1409 – 1410– Cardinals from each pope convened in Pisa and Cardinals from each pope convened in Pisa and

elected a new pope Alexander Velected a new pope Alexander V– However neither the Roman or the Avignon pope However neither the Roman or the Avignon pope

stepped down and Christianity now had three stepped down and Christianity now had three competing popescompeting popes

How to solve the SchismHow to solve the Schism• The Council of Constance 1414 – 1417The Council of Constance 1414 – 1417

– Emperor Sigismund (HRE) called the councilEmperor Sigismund (HRE) called the council– Elected a new pope Martin V – the remaining three Elected a new pope Martin V – the remaining three

either conceded, died, were deposedeither conceded, died, were deposed• Council of Basil 1431 – 1449Council of Basil 1431 – 1449

– The church council conceded rights to the Hussites The church council conceded rights to the Hussites similar to the Gallicans similar to the Gallicans

• The temporal lessening of papal powers were to The temporal lessening of papal powers were to last ten years – 1460 Pope Pius II issued last ten years – 1460 Pope Pius II issued Execrabilis Execrabilis condemning all councils to be voidcondemning all councils to be void

ConsequencesConsequences• What do you think the future consequences will What do you think the future consequences will

be for the church in Europe?be for the church in Europe?• Secular control of the church will become Secular control of the church will become

prevalentprevalent• City council will come to regulate religious lifeCity council will come to regulate religious life• Papal State can be opposed in terms of national Papal State can be opposed in terms of national

security and religionsecurity and religion