The Avignon Papacy & Investiture Crises

(Originally written March 17, 2006 in 3 Subject Book)

European Religious History

Struggles between kings and popes

Investiture Contest/Controversies
-Henry IV of German vs. Pope Gregory VII

Kings vs. Popes

1) Over Investiture
John of England (1199-1216)
-lost Normandy to the French King, Philip Augustus (1204)
-excommunicated by Pope Innocent III over investiture controversy involving the Archbishop of Canterbury

2) Over Taxation of the Clergy
-Edward I of England (1290's)
-Philip IV (Philip the fair) of France (1285-1314) vs. Pope Boniface VIII (1294-1303)
  - Papal Bull, 1296: the laity cannot tax the clergy
  - Philip IV ignores the bull
  - Pope Boniface VIII backed down, kings now have to ask permission to tax the clergy

3) Over Courts
- Battle between Philip IV & Pope Boniface VIII
- Boniface VIII issued bull, Unam Sanctum
-Philip IV's response:
  -Used lawyers trained in Roman Law
  -Roman Law: king is sovereign in all matters in his territory
  -Philip IV planned to kidnap Boniface VIII and bring him to trial in France
  -Caused the Crisis of the 14th Century (The Avignon Papacy)

The Crisis of the 14th Century

The Avignon Papacy (1305-1378)
-"The Babylonian Captivity of the Church"
-Pope Clement V (1305-1314) through Pope Gregory XI (1370-1378)
-Pope Gregory died in Rome in 1378 bringing an end to the Avignon Papacy
-Led to the Great Schism (1378-1417)