Medieval Papacy Revision Notes

Medieval Papacy Revision.

The Popes

• Nicholas IV (1288-1292) - Franciscan

• Interregnum (1292-94).

• Celestine V (1294) – pusillanimous

• Boniface VIII (1294-1303) – greedy politician

• Benedict XI (1303-04) – moderate

• Clement V (1305-1314).

• Interregnum (1314-1316).

• John XXII (1316-1334).

• Benedict XII (1334-1342).

• Clement VI (1342-1352).

George Holmes, Florence, Rome and the Origins of the Renaissance (Clarendon, 1986).

Chapter 4: The Ascendancy of Florence

• 1288-1292: Nicholas IV

  • Not interventionalist

  • First Franciscan to become pope

• 1284

  • After a deadlock, Celestine V is elected.

    • An 84-year old hermit from Sulmona

    • A ‘true’ pope if only the battle between French administrators and Roman nobles had not been raging.

• Celestine V

  • Disaster

    • Favouritism (to Charles II of Naples)

      • 12 cardinals are all either French or Neapolitan

      • Tries to make the Benedictine Monte Cassino, part of his own Order.

    • He’s basically an appendage of the Angevin monarchy.

• Nobility

  • Different definitions

    • One

      • A man of long-standing wealth with pleasing manners

    • Two

      • Aristotle’s Ethics ‘the seed of happiness placed by God in a well-disposed soul’.

• 1300

• Boniface VIII puts on the Jubilee.

  • Apparently,

    • Boniface called Florentines the ‘fifth element of the world’ as they ‘seem to rule the world’.

  • Florence is extremely important = they are the papal bankers.

    • 1290 onwards

      • Frescobaldi.

Chapter 7: The Papal Revolution, 1294-1305.

• Boniface VIII:

  • Two profound effects

    • Papal intervention in Florentine politics

    • Migration of the papacy

• A) Florentine Politics

• Boniface knows there is a compelling Donati-Cerchi split.

  • In March-May 1300

    • A group of ambassadors (White Guelfs) appeal to Boniface to stop him endorsing the Blacks.

  • 24 April

    • Boniface writes a letter to the Commune demanding cancellation of the arrest of Simone Gherardi degli Spini, Cambio da Sesto and Quintavalle [who seem to be planning an attack on the Cerchi].

      • Threatens excommunication.

  • 15 May

    • Boniface writes how he doesn’t want to diminish Florentine power

  • 23 May

    • Sends in Matthew Acquasparta

      • A cardinal and minister-general of Franciscans.

        • Failed to bring peace.

  • 28 September

    • Pope excommunicates Florentine governors

  • November 1301

  • Charles of Valois sent by Boniface to mediate Florence.

    • Makes out this is a peace mission to secure harmony between Black and White.

• Narrative of Florentine events, post-Charles of Valois’ entry.

• By the end of the week

  • A Black Priorate is formed

• Christmas Eve 1301

  • Simone Donati and Niccolo Cerchi kill each ther outside Florence.

• January 1302

  • The Whites are banished and exiled (including Dante). 559 put to exile.

    • Cerchi, Adimari, Gherardini, Della Tossa.

• 1302 onwards

  • Florence dominated by Donati, della Tossa and Pazzino de’ Pazzi.

• October 1303

  • Election of Benedict IX

    • A Venetian Dominican.

  • Appalled at Boniface’s excess

    • He sends a legate, Niccolo da Prato (March 1304)

      • Negotiates return of a few Whites and Ghibellines.

        • Blacks angry and they burn stuff down!

• Why is Boniface involved?

  • Spini and Donati

    • Gave him the wrong impression

  • Siena

    • Boniface is supporting Sienese against Aldobrandeschi aim of acquiring territory for his own family.

    • Not going well at that moment Radicofani

      • He needs Florence on side if things go tits up.

  • Papal ambition over Tuscany

    • Letter of 15 May effectively exercised viciarate over Tuscany

      • Why?

        • Because the worry that Albert of Austria (recently married to a French relative of Philip IV) and Philip IV would act in unison in an attack on Tuscany.

• (I) Italian politics

• Florentine Vendetta

  • Particularly worrying because now Florentine bankers operate with worldwide connections.

• Boniface aims

• (a) Settlement of the Sicilian Question

  • Treaty of Anagni (June 1295)

    • James II of Aragon would give up his claim to Sicily and marry Charles II of Naples

    • Frederick (James’ nephew) would marry Catherine of Courtenay.

      • Breaks down and Sicilians make Frederick the king of Sicily.

      • Boniface launches expensive and unsuccessful campaigns on Frederick

        • His fleet are defeated at Cape Orlando (June 1299) and the Neapolitan army were defeated by the Sicilians at Falconaria

  • Boniface seeks help from France.

    • Turns to Charles of Valois (brother of Philip IV)

    • Charles goes for Sicily

      • Messes up and consents to the peace of Caltabellota

  • Failure

    • Pope has ruined the coffers.

• (b) Extension of Caetani family land.

  • Policy of buying land near Rome

    • Brings into bitter conflict with Colonna family

      • They are expelled in 1299.

  • Through alliance with Sienna, Boniface VIII is caught up in a war with the Aldobrandeschi!

  • Boniface needs bankers.

    • Spini: on and off

      • In 1300,

        • They paid Charles 76, 248 florins.

    • Chiarenti, Franzesi (1295-97)

    • Bardi

      • 1302 paid Charles II 21,000 florins.

-

-

• Move from Italy to France (1305)

  • Important

    • Why?

      • Move from Italy

      • Transformation of the papal court into a French institution.

• Effects

• Clement V’s creation led to an equal number of Italian and non-Italian cardinals.

  • 1310

    • Non-Italians are in a majority.

Peter Partner, The Lands of St Peter: The Papal States in the Middle Ages and the Early Renaissance (California, 1972).

• Chapter 9: the Failure of the Franco-papal plan

• I

• Clement V

• 1 May 1308

  • King Albert of Habsburg is murdered who know will become the King of the Romans?

    • Imperial candidate = Henry of Luxembourg.

      • He’s a lackey.

        • Backed by west-German princes unconnected with Austria, a prince of modest resources and repute.

  • Election confirmed in 1309.

• Henry VII

  • Hope that he will bring order to the Guelph and Ghibelline factionalism. Indeed, just look at the last section of Compagni, or the political letters of Dante.

  • Must reconcile with Robert of Naples

    • Agrees to a marriage alliance with Robert’s house, brokered through the pope.

      • Would be brilliant

        • Would link Henry, Clement V, Robert of Anjou and...

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