Avignon
One of the most interesting cities I ever visited was Avignon in southern France, the Provence region. It was more than a decade and half ago, but I remember the history nerd feeling I gained touring through the centuries-old stone halls of the Chateau Pape de Neuf and the twisty cobble of Avignon. My remembrance is a more impressive feat than you might think. The wines of Provence are par excellence. The dungeons of Chez Pape is no longer a place of torture, but an amazing opportunity to taste the grape of the region and a great way to end tour of the castle.
The Papal office is a tremendously influential office in our modern world and this was also the case in the Middle Ages. Perhaps more. In the games of thrones, those that rule the spirit of men have a subtle, but tremendously powerful play.
It is no wonder that Philip the IV of France resented the power a Roman pope had over his peasants and vassals. The solution as he saw it was to French naturalize the Pope and move the office to Avignon and we have arrives at our home studies. So rewarding to hear Minime refrain how much he would like to visit these places.
Back to John Green and Crash Course, European History.
The Western Schism (1378 - 1417)
From our studies ...
John Green tells us that Pope Boniface the 8th was the leader of the Catholic Church in 1300. He wasn't just a religious figure, but also a political one as well. The pivotal issue was whether or not the Catholic Church held authority over the entire Catholic world, including its rulers, emperors, kings, princes, and dukes. A major point of contention arose over who had authority with regards to taxation.
Many powerful people in the Church came from wealthy and influential families. Most families would have at least one son join the church. Daughters and widows too, but nuns were not as powerful in the Church. Popes came from the most wealthy and powerful families. Boniface VIII declared in 1302, that the papal office had supreme power over everyone.
Boniface had in actuality declared himself emperor of Europe. Many European rulers predictably resented his power play, they wanted tax monies from the Church, and they spoke out. Boniface threatened to excommunicate one such leader, King Philip the 4th of France. Philip in turn kidnapped Boniface.
Boniface was tortured and died shortly after his release in 1303. His vie for supreme power did not end well, for himself or Rome. In 1305, Philip saw the appointing of a French pope, Clement the 5th, and the Papacy was moved from Rome to Avignon.
Many began to understand that the Papacy was now an instrument of French dominance and could no longer serve in a spiritual or religious role for people of other lands. Pope Gregory the 11th, in 1377, moved the Papacy back to Rome. When he died, the cardinals elected the Italian pope, Urban the 6th. The French cardinals then elected the French pope, Clement the 7th, who again took up residency in Avignon. There was a pope in both Rome and France. A schism had occurred in the Catholic Church: the Great Schism, also called the Western Schism.
The Great Schism greatly reduced the Church's legitimacy as the head of all things spiritual, especially after the Black Death. The clergy had died along with everyone else of the Plague. Since many had joined the church out of family obligation and for power, and not a true calling, there were many stories 'decidedly unspiritual indulgences' among the clergy. Now, it wasn't even clear which church they should follow: Rome or Avignon. In 1417, church leaders held a council and elected a single pope, Martin the 5th. The Church was reunited in Rome.
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