Avignon Papacy

The Avignon Papacy was a significant period in Catholic history. It lasted from 1309 to 1376. During these years, seven successive popes lived in Avignon.

At that time, Avignon was within the Kingdom of Arles. This area was part of the Holy Roman Empire. Today, however, this region is part of France. This era is famous because the popes did not live in Rome. Some historians call this period the "Babylonian captivity" of the papacy. This name suggests the church was held away from its rightful home.

The shift to Avignon resulted from intense political conflict. The papacy and the French crown were in a major dispute. This struggle involved both spiritual and secular power. King Philip IV of France wanted church finances to fund his wars.

Pope Boniface VIII resisted this pressure. He issued a decree called *Unam sanctam* in November 1302. This document claimed every human must be subject to the Roman pontiff. King Philip responded by asserting his own independence. In 1303, Italian allies of the king attacked the pope. They broke into his residence and maltreated him. Pope Boniface VIII died shortly after this assault.

A new series of popes followed this period of unrest. Pope Benedict XI succeeded Boniface VIII but died within eight months. In 1305, the church elected Clement V.

Clement V was the archbishop of Bordeaux and a friend of King Philip. He refused to move to Rome. In 1309, he moved the papal court to Avignon. This move was partly to escape the infighting of Roman families. These families, such as the Colonna and Orsini, often fought for influence. Avignon offered a safer location within the papal enclave of Comtat Venaissin.

All seven popes during the Avignon period were French. This led to heavy influence from the French Crown. The popes lived in a way that resembled royal courts.

They adopted many features of secular rulers. For example, cardinals lived like princes rather than simple clerics. Many cardinals were even relatives of the reigning pope. Popes like John XXII, Benedict XII, and Clement VI lived in great splendor.

They spent large fortunes on expensive wardrobes. They also used gold and silver plates for banquets.

This lifestyle often contrasted with the expected poverty of the clergy.

The papacy also underwent a major administrative reorganization. Under Clement V and John XXII, the church centralized its control. The papacy began to directly manage the appointment of benefices. This allowed the church to control significant income. They collected tithes, which were ten-percent taxes on church property. They also collected annates, the first year's income from a new position. Other sources included taxes for crusades that never occurred. This centralization made the church a powerful political and financial institution.

This wealth and power created deep divisions. Many people believed the church should return to absolute poverty. They felt the leaders were too focused on worldly riches. Some groups, such as the Waldensians or the Hussites, were declared heretical.

Even famous philosophers were caught in these disputes. Pope John XXII excommunicated Marsilius of Padua and William of Ockham. Ockham responded by charging the pope with seventy errors. This era showed how religious leadership was deeply tied to secular politics. The tension between spiritual duties and worldly administration grew constantly.

The Avignon period ended when Gregory XI returned to Rome.

He arrived in Rome in January 1377. However, his death in 1378 caused a new crisis. A disagreement between cardinals and Pope Urban VI led to the Western Schism. This was a period where rival claimants fought for the papacy. One line of popes remained in Avignon and were called antipopes. This controversy lasted until 1417. The Council of Constance finally resolved the issue. They accepted the election of Pope Martin V, which ended the schism.