256 pages, Bluebridge, ISBN-13:
978-1933346151
The Popes of
Avignon: A Century in Exile
is a must-read for anyone interested in Church history, especially that
seventy-year period (1308-1378) in which the papacy took flight from Rome and
set up residence in Avignon, France. Edwin Mullins does a tremendous job of
explaining the many factors at work during this period including the late
medieval feudal system, shifting political tides, the Hundred Years War between
France and England and the scourge of the black death. He describes the reasons
for the move to Avignon and the effect on the town as it grew exponentially in
wealth and population. Mullins also offers very balanced portraits of each of
the popes (and anti-popes) who would attempt to reign over the Church during
this tumultuous period.
The
story begins in 1308 when Pope Clement V announced the new home or seat of
power of the papacy would no longer be in Rome but outside France in small city
of 5,000 named Avignon. The following year the exile from Rome began, an exile
that would not be fully completed until September, 1370. The small city of
Avignon grew from a small population of a few thousand to reach at its apex
30,000 souls. It was witness to, among other events, an influx of great wealth,
great building, the Hundred Year's War, brigandage and outright blackmail, and
the Black Death in 1348 with renewing outbreaks every 5 years thereafter.
Some
individuals saw improvement in all this while some others such a Petrarch saw
Avignon as the new Babylonian Whore. He fervently desired a return to Rome and
the Holy Roman Empire. Avignon, once a sleepy, backwater area of the Provence
(Province of Rome) had now become an international community with over 40
banking and money handling institutions, money poured in from all over the
known world. Kings, queens and other potentates visited the city, spending days
and weeks as guests of the ruling pope. Artists and artisans from around the
world also rushed to Avignon for commissions and golden florins, with many
having to live and sleep in streets or fields. In the early years, there simply
was not enough room for the Cardinals and Pope, let alone workmen. Eventually
things evened out a bit but the city was always cramped and crowded until the
Black Death when fully 40% of the inhabitants died and left property. Land and
buildings not taken over by the church was then available for any with the
money to buy.
Between
the years 1308 and 1422 (counting the anti-pope years) there were a total of 9
popes each with his own approach to being ruler. The Avignon popes by 1363
could be 'described in simplistic terms as puppet, miser, monk, emperor, and
bookkeeper. With the descriptive indicating how each ruled. Though he had many
flaws both human and spiritual one pope that stood out from the rest was
Clement VI. Two desires almost all the popes held was a return to the Holy
Land, or a final crusade (which never happened) and an end to the Hundred
Year's War that raged between England and France. All of the popes of this
period were Frenchmen speaking little or no Italian and seemed to owe more
allegiance to the French kings than to God or Italian city states. Again all of
the these intelligent and capable men prior to being elected pope had
diligently trained in both civil and canon law. A few such as Clement VI were
truly men of both exceptional ability and I.Q., with several of the popes
serving as legal adviser to the kings of France.
To
study these men and this period of time (marking the division between end of
the Medieval years and beginning of the Renaissance years) rises above and
beyond just faith, religion or most items of church. It is not a book of
religion therefore as much as it is one of rulers and politics with the years
of 1308 through 1422 being examined and studied.
No comments:
Post a Comment