The relationship between Philip IV of France and Pope Boniface VIII was in no way characterised by friendliness. With grave disagreement over the use of the French Church’s wealth and in fact the authority of the Papacy itself in France, Philip outraged Boniface with his inappropriate taxation of the clergy and Boniface enraged Philip with excessive bulls determining what he was able to financially exploit from the French Church. The Unam Sanctam Bull of 1302 asserted that the spiritual authority of the Papacy was supreme (a sensible suggestion with a historical title of the Seat being Supreme Pontiff or Summus Pontifex) and outranked the temporal authority of monarchs. It also threatened excommunication for any person who failed to submit to Papal authority. So, here we have Pope Boniface declaring to the world that King Philip is an inferior power and would be excommunicated if he continued to fail to submit to Rome.
Naturally, Philip did not take to this public insult lightly; convening a conference of Bishops to, not only, declare the Bull invalid and heretical considering but also secretly develop a conclave to replace Boniface. He wanted his own Pope and Philip IV did not stop scheming there. On Maundy Thursday of 1303, Boniface VIII indirectly suggested that Philip IV was excommunicated and was immediately denounced by Philip’s ministers. Later in the year, Philip and his minister had been officially excommunicated. This specific instance of conflict was conflated to the point where Boniface was abducted by the French army in Philip’s name and imprisoned until he relinquished the See by abdication. Three days of relentless torture was not enough to rid Boniface of his divine authority and was released. Much to Boniface’s misfortune, he passed a month later – which was still an extraordinary feat after his treatment whilst imprisoned, surely it was the Holy Spirit which kept him off St Peter’s throne until it was his time to go. Sede Vacante – 11/10/1303.
Habemus Papam – 22/10/1303. Sede Vacante – 07/07/1304. Interregnum (Benedict XI)
05/06/1305 – Habemus Papam! Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Bernardum, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem de Goth, qui sibi nomen imposuit Clementem V.
With the election of Cardinal de Goth, heavily influenced by Philip IV as seen with his control of the conclave, the Papacy at Avignon was established. A grand total of 7 Popes ruled from Avignon, where the strength of the papacy was overwhelmingly weakened and dominated by the French Crown. The true heart of the Christendom was betrayed, corruption began to entangle the clergy, the curia had been bureaucratised, and the papacy was drifting into the temporal power which Boniface had deemed inferior to the more righteous spirituality of the See. Yet, we must not neglect that Clement V rescinded Unam Sanctam. This period of 7 decades in France eventually ended with Pope Gregory XI: the final Avignon Pope moved the curia back to Rome. Whilst this may not have occurred as a result of his own conscience, rather pressure from clerics and laymen alike (especially Italians), this reversion was monumental in re-establishing the Papacy as its own authority and not a puppet of the French monarchy. After having been in Rome for just a year, Gregory died in 1378 but not before declaring his intent to return to Avignon. Nevertheless, a conclave of 16 Cardinal voters began. The College of Cardinals were not going to allow a second Avignon Papacy.
08/04/1378 – Habemus Papam! Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Bartolomeum, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem de Prignano, qui sibi nomen imposuit Urbanus VI.
Urban VI’s Papacy was initially regarded as a remarkable success, principally for the fact that the Holy See was seen in Rome. As well as this, Urban was Neapolitan and his connection to and influence within the Court of Naples (at this time held by Queen Joana I) was seen as favourable. His authoritarian reign over the Church and aggressive personality made his Papacy a particularly challenging affair. Many Cardinals were disillusioned by Urban’s reformist ideology and were alienated by his harsh treatment of those who found themselves in disagreement with Urban VI. Urban’s honourable intention to eliminate corruption within the Church targeted especially excessive indulgences. Regarded as an executioner, he radically punished the curia when he deemed it to be venal.
Three months into Urban’s Papacy, a faction of, predominantly French, Cardinals declared that Pope Urban VI’s election was invalid due to the conclave finding its result out of duress. These Cardinals claimed that Urban VI was only chosen because of the angry Roman mob which demanded that an Italian take the Seat of Peter. Of course, the Papacy is determined by conclave and is guided by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the Bishopric of Rome, like all others, is an appointment by God so did these Cardinals really have base in their objections for Sede Vacante? Habemus Papam! Or Anti-Papam. Clement VII (formerly Robert of Geneva) was chosen to lead the Church from Avignon by those thirteen dissenting Cardinals – out of 16 electors. Emphasis on the Church’s political sphere of influence was at the forefront of this dispute. Urban VI was supported by Italy, Germany, and Britain. Whereas France and Spain sought the Church’s refuge in Clement VII’s arms. Schism continued after the deaths of Urban and Clement with Boniface IX succeeding Urban VI (1389) and Benedict XIII elected after Clement VII. A solution to the issue of a double papacy was very unlikely as canon law requires a Pope to call a Council, yet if there are two Popes that disagree with the legitimacy of the other then there is no chance of resolving.
By 1409, and another set of one/two popes later (with Innocent VII being implicated and then excommunicated by Benedict), a Council was finally convened and during the fifteenth session a decision was made. Benedict and Gregory had originally agreed to abdicate from their respective Sees in 1406 but now were being categorically deposed of by the Council of Pisa. Habemus Papam! The Council had appointed Alexander V and there were now three competing papacies: a Roman Pope, an Avignonese Pope and a Pisan Pope. Initiated by the death of a Pope, specifically the Pisan Pope Alexander V, there was change or the attempt to, at least. Alexander’s replacement, John XXIII, wanted to unite the church and resolve the schism.
The Council of Constance (1414) ultimately saw Pope Gregory XII voluntarily abdicate in 1415, the forceful deposition of Pope John XXIII in 1415 and the excommunication of Benedict XIII who refused to leave his post. Gregory’s actions were seen as the first steps to reducing conflict in the Church. John was called before the council and had to answer to charges of simony and immorality – a challenge to the Church. Benedict remained in Avignon and staunchly opposed any attempt at resolution in which he was not named the true Supreme Pontiff, refusing to go before the council. Twenty-three Cardinals and thirty delegates of the Council mobilised into a conclave.
Habemus Papam! Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Iohannem, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem de Huess, qui sibi nomen imposuit Martinus V.
On the 11th of November 1417, Schism ended with Martin V’s election and the Church was now one. The See was seen in Rome.
–