The Great Schism

→ the decline and renewal of the Catholic Church of the Renaissance

→ Europeans start to distrust the Catholic Church because of the Great Schism

the political context

→ the papal states:

• central italy

• granted to the pope around 800 CE

• disputed throughout the Middle Ages by different rulers

• late Middle Ages: Treaty of Venice (1177)

  • gives some orders to the Pope that is his domain

• By 1300: Italy Independent States

  Northern Border: Italian Republics

• Southern Border: Kingdom of Naples

  • Ruler-Holy Roman Emperor

  • also leader of the Kingdom of Naples

→ Conflict between Pope and Holy Roman Emperor

• Who is the true ruler of the Christian West?

  • Pope has advantage → he decides who goes to heaven

  • Holy Roman Emperor views himself as a protector of Western Catholic Christianity — Pope also views himself as the authority on Western Catholic Christianity

• Late-1200s: Pope issues crusade against Naples

  • pope wants to expand his influence and limit the power of the Holy Roman Emperor

  • contradictory action → Christians don’t normally call a crusade against other Christians (normally against Muslims)

• Main crusader: Charles of Anjou

  • Charles was a Prince of France

    • having Charles fight brings in another Catholic empire

  • Invades Naples with Papal support

    • Solidified connections between the Pope

• when a pope calls a crusade, he is essentially asking a Christian prince ot bring his armies against an enemy

• issue of sovereignty → people believe they can expand their influence when they expand their lands

→ The Pope turns against Charles

• reaches out to Spain to invade Naples

→ Aragon (Spain) tried to invade Naples

→ Pope calls crusade against Aragon

• essentially starts a war between France and Aragon over the Kingdom of Naples 

• Makes everyone Mad!

• Summary: A Giant mess

• Because pope turned against Charles, the Kingdom of France opposes the Pope 

→ Philip IV of France (reign 1285-1314)

• King of France that is most against the pope 

• Angry at Papacy over war with Aragon 

• Very ambitious king → wants to put an end to the rule of the pope & expand France’s power in Europe

• Anticipating war with England → Philip needs to raise money quickly

  • Taxes subjects and the the Catholic church in France

    • Antagonizing the Pope → according to the medieval law king cannot tax the church only if the Pope approves it

      • Problem: can’t tax church without pope’s approval 

      • Pope Boniface VIII rejects tax 

  • Philip responds by prohibiting exports to papal states

  • pope responds by issuing a council to discuss the faith of the church in France → questions if King Philip is a faithful Catholic

    • threatens if the king is not faithful, then the people have the right to revolt

  • Philip responds by calling his councils to denounce the pope

  • becomes a war of words over supremacy

→ The Pope’s response: Unam Sanctum (1302)

• “on the unity of the church”

• declares: outside the church, there is no salvation

• threat to Philip → Philip’s opposition to the pope = damnation

• the point of no return

• philip’s response: France invades italy

  • Philip captures Pope Boniface VIII

  • French army physically abused the pope

  • Pope dies a few weeks later → probably died due to his injuries

→ new pope elected: Clement V

• packs cardinals with Pro-French priests'

• moves the papacy to France

  • the Avignon Papacy (1309-1378)

  • causes enormous amount of distrust in Catholicism

  • “the Babylonian captivity” of the church → the church is basically in exile under the rule of the French King

  • considered the worst period of the Catholic church

    • nepotism → many popes have children, place their children in good jobs

    • excess → extravagant palace, parties at the Avignon Papacy

    • luxury → luxury goods

    • all of this takes place in the midst of the Black Death

→ Pope Gregory XI (1370-1378)

• convinced by St. Catherine of Siena to return to Rome by Catherine of Siena

• Saint Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)

  • received the stigmata of Christ

  • gained a lot of influence in the Church as a holy woman

  • wrote letters to the pope

    • urged him to live up to his calling as the Bishop of Rome

    • refers to the church as “stinking garbage”

    • refers to the pope as the Shepherd of the Church → pope is leading the sheep astray

    • tells pope to re-assert your power over the church

  • Gregory moves back to Rome

• Gregory dies after moving back to Rome

→ Cardinals begin to form factions

• two popes elected at the same time:

  • italian pope Urban VI elected → Rome

  • french-backed pope Clement VII elected → Avignon

• begins the Great Schism

  • Pope in Rome & Pope in Avignon

  • nations begin to line up behind Popes →

  • severely damaging church reputation

→ Council of Pisa (1409)

• elected a third Pope John XXII (aka Pope at large)

• three people claiming to lead the Church

→ Council of Constance (1414-1418)

• all 3 popes were either deposed or resigned

• elected new pope: Martin V → unites the factions & brings the church out of the great schism

  • Pope returns to Rome

• laypeople had already lost faith in the Church & Pope

  • council declare’s church’s supremacy → argument for why the church is correct even when the pope is corrupt

  • the church is not corrupt even when the papacy is