A History Of The Papacy From The Great Schism To The Sack Of Rome (Volume 1)

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The publisher of this book utilises modern printing technologies as well as photocopying processes for reprinting and preserving rare works of literature that are out-of-print or on the verge of becoming lost. This book is one such reprint. Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: POPE CELESTINE V. vj Immersed in narrow schemes of self-interest, the Popes lost their real strength in the respect and sym- Lojgof pathies of Europe. Instead of being the upholders moral of ecclesiastical independence, they became the SoYh" oppressors of the clergy and the infringers of ecclesi- '' astical rights. Hence, in France, lawyers developed a fruitful conception of the liberties of the Gallican Church-freedom of patrons from Papal interference, freedom of election to chapters, and a prohibition of Papal taxation except with the consent of the Church and the Crown. Instead of being the upholders of civil liberty, the Popes ranked with the princes of Europe and had no sympathy with the cause of the people. In England, during the Barons' War the Papacy was on the side of its pliant ally, Henry III., and steadily opposed all efforts to check his feeble misgovern- ment. The great English Churchmen, on the other hand, sided with the Barons, and the English Church was the strongest element in the struggle against royal oppression. Similarly, in Italy, the Popes deserted the party which in each city was striving to maintain municipal freedom against foreign aggressors, or too powerful nobles at home." When the Empire had been reduced to feebleness, the Popes had no more need of their republican allies, but were intolerant of civic liberties. Hence they were so shortsighted as to permit the suppression of republican constitutions by powerful lords, and to allow dynasties to establish, within the Papal States, a sway which proved to be the greatest hindrance to the assertion of the Papal sovereignty. In this career of purely political enterprise the Papacy again became associated with the factions of con- po Ce tending families in Rome, till in 1292 the assembled iratine v. Car...

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