Pope Clement III elevated him to the office of cardinal deacon of SS. Crusades. The result was a disaster for the papacy and for the Byzantine Empire. Combining a streak of hardheaded practicality with an intellectual’s interest in ideas, Innocent transformed the theory of papal monarchy and pushed the papacy in new directions. This resulted in a considerable refinement of Western canon law. He was the last French pope to have held court in Rome; all subsequent French popes held court in … By its conclusion, it issued seventy reformatory decrees. His birth name was Lotario dei Conti di Segni, sometimes anglicised to Lothar of Segni. Pope Innocent III (Latin: Innocentius III; 1160 or 1161 – 16 July 1216), born Lotario dei Conti di Segni (anglicized as Lothar of Segni) reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 8 January 1198 to his death in 1216.. [18], It is the business of the pope to look after the interests of the Roman empire, since the empire derives its origin and its final authority from the papacy; its origin, because it was originally transferred from Greece by and for the sake of the papacy; ... its final authority, because the emperor is raised to his position by the pope who blesses him, crowns him and invests him with the empire. [13] In 1198, Innocent wrote to the prefect Acerbius and the nobles of Tuscany expressing his support of the medieval political theory of the sun and the moon. As a result, the Crusaders diverted the crusade to the Christian city of Zara at the will of the Venetians, to subsidize the debt. Pope Innocent III (Latin: Innocentius Tertius; 1160 or 1161 – 16 July 1216) was an Italian priest of the Roman Catholic Church and the 177th Pope from 1198 until his death in 1216. [Common Era] until 1216 C.E. As a cardinal, Lotario wrote De miseria humanae conditionis (On the Misery of the Human Condition). Pope Innocent III (Latin: Innocentius III; 1160 or 1161 - 16 July 1216, born Lotario dei Conti di Segni (anglicized as Lothar of Segni) was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 8 January 1198 to his death. Emperor Henry VI had died, and there were two candidates for the imperial throne: Henry’s brother, Philip of Swabia, and Otto of Brunswick. His chief activity was turned against the Albigenses who had become so numerous and aggressive that they were no longer satisfied with just being adherents of heretical doctrines but even endeavoured to spread their heresy by force. Detail of a fresco at the cloister Sacro Speco, Bishops consecrated by Pope Innocent III as principal consecrator, Jane Sayers, 'Innocent III: Leader of Europe 1199–1216' London 1994, p. 16, Jane Sayers, 'Innocent III: Leader of Europe 1199–1216' London 1994, p. 17, Jane Sayers, 'Innocent III: Leader of Europe 1199–1216' London 1994, p. 18, Jane Sayers, 'Innocent III: Leader of Europe 1199–1216' London 1994, p. 21. They were centered in Porziuncola and preached first in Umbria, before expanding throughout Italy.[36]. Kendall, Keith. In case of a double election the pope must exhort the princes to come to an agreement. Later popes called for Crusades against disobedient Christian rulers and even cardinals of the church. Innocent faced all these problems simultaneously. [20] On 3 July 1201, the papal legate, Cardinal-Bishop Guido of Palestrina, announced to the people, in the cathedral of Cologne, that Otto IV had been approved by the pope as Roman king and threatened with excommunication all those who refused to acknowledge him. In order to dominate the city of Rome, Innocent ordered the construction of the Torre dei’Conti, a massive military fortification in the middle of the city, which he placed under the command of his brother Richard. He called upon the King of France, Philip II to raise an army for the suppression of the Albigenses. Pope Innocent VIII (Latin: Innocentius VIII; 1432 – 25 July 1492), born Giovanni Battista Cybo (or Cibo), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 29 August 1484 to his death. Pope Innocent III (Latin: Innocentius III; 1160 or 1161 – 16 July 1216) reigned from 8 January 1198 to his death. As Pope, Innocent III represents the height of the medieval papacy. Stephen Langton, whom Lothar as Pope Innocent later appointed archbishop of Canterbury, and Robert of Courson, whom he appointed as a papal legate and later raised to the cardinalate, were among his fellow students. Consequently, in pursuing heretics, he applied the sanctions and employed the procedural norms used in ancient Roman treason trials. "St. Francis of Assisi." Peter of Castelnau and Raoul. Moore, John C. "Pope Innocent III, Sardinia, and the Papal State.". One of the greatest popes of the Middle Ages, son of Count Trasimund of Segni and nephew of Clement III, born 1160 or 1161 at Anagni, and died 16 June, 1216, at Perugia. [29], The Fourth Crusade was an expensive endeavor. Please select which sections you would like to print: While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. [27][28] Unlike past popes, Innocent III displayed interest in leading the crusade himself, rather than simply instigating it and allowing secular leaders to organize the expedition according to their own aspirations. By reforming the papal curia and reorganizing the papal judicial system, Innocent strengthened the hierarchical structure of the church. After Paris Lothar studied in Bologna, whose university was the preeminent one for the study of canon and civil law. Although forced to support a candidate against his better judgment, Innocent used the dispute to establish the pope’s right to evaluate imperial candidates in a contested election. Innocent III was elected pope of the Roman Catholic Church in 1198 C.E. Elected pope on January 8, 1198, Innocent III reformed the Roman Curia, reestablished and expanded the pope’s authority over the Papal States, worked tirelessly to launch Crusades to recover the Holy Land, combated heresy in Italy and southern France, shaped a powerful and original doctrine of papal power within the church and in secular affairs, and in 1215 presided over the fourth Lateran Council, which reformed many clerical and lay practices within the church. [42][43], Innocent is one of two popes (the other being Gregory IX) among the 23 historical figures depicted in marble relief portraits above the gallery doors of the U.S. House of Representatives in honor of their influence on the development of American law. [3] His father Count Trasimondo of Segni was a member of a famous house, the Conti di Segni (Counts of Segni), which produced nine popes including Gregory IX, Alexander IV and Innocent XIII. [22] At the request of England's King John, Pope Innocent III declared the Magna Carta annulled, resulting in a rebellion by the English Barons who rejected the disenfranchisement.[24]. His pontificate has customarily been taken to mark the … Immediately after his consecration, he received homage from the leaders of the Roman nobility. This determination meant, among other things, that princes should not be involved in the selection of bishops, and it was focused especially on the "patrimonium" of the papacy, the section of central Italy claimed by the popes and later called the Papal States. He receives St. Francis of Assisi on... Innocent III approving the Franciscan Rule, from the cycle of paintings Stories of St Francis of Assisi, by Taddeo Gaddi . [31] Innocent gave his approval of this agreement under two conditions: a representative of the pope must accompany the crusade, and the attack on any other Christians was strictly forbidden. This decretal, which has become famous, was afterwards embodied in the "Corpus Juris Canonici". In it he fashioned a striking image of papal authority that he would repeat throughout his pontificate. He exacted promises from both Otto and Philip to respect the boundaries of papal territory, but both candidates betrayed his trust. This marked the first time a pope ever imposed a direct tax on the clergy. Pope Innocent promoted the theory that the spiritual power of the church was greater than than any king or emperor. "The Fourth Lateran Council, its Legislation, and the Development of Legal Procedure", CUA", "CHURCH COUNCILS - JewishEncyclopedia.com", "Medieval Sourcebook: Twelfth Ecumenical Council: Lateran IV 1215", "Fr. At the same time, Innocent swept away almost all the older, decentralized institutions that were characteristic of the church in the early Middle Ages. In order to define fundamental doctrines, the council reviewed the nature of the Holy Eucharist, the ordered annual confession of sins, and prescribed detailed procedures for the election of bishops. – June 16, 1216 C.E. In May 1202, Innocent issued the decree Venerabilem, addressed to the Duke of Zähringen, in which he explained his thinking on the relation between the papacy and the Empire. Innocent asked St. Lutgarda to come to his assistance, saying, “Alas! New York: Robert Appleton Company. Within a remarkably short time, not only nearby cities but also some as far away as Ancona, Assisi, Perugia, and Spoleto had declared their allegiance to the pope. (The Byzantine empire was restored in 1261 but never regained its former strength, finally falling in 1453. Who was known as the Iron Chancellor? [3], After his death, Innocent III was believed to be in purgatory. His papacy asserted the absolute spiritual authority of his office, … The pope’s challenge was to mediate the imperial succession while preserving the rights of Frederick and, especially, maintaining the integrity of the Papal States and papal power. The first was enormously popular in the Middle Ages, and the others demonstrate that he was a competent, if not gifted, theologian. She was as eager to remove German power from the kingdom of Sicily as was Innocent III. Cathar (Albigensian) heretics had become prevalent in southern France. The Albigensian Crusade led to the deaths of approximately 20,000 men, women and children, Cathar and Catholic alike, decimating the number of practising Cathars and diminishing the region's distinct culture. He exerted a wide influence over the Christian states of Europe, claiming supremacy over all of Europe's kings. [3], Henry's early death left his 3-year-old son, Frederick, as king of Sicily. Frederick was duly elected by the Staufen partisans.[21]. In Paris Lothar learned to use the Bible as a tool for understanding and solving problems. "Papal Decree on the choice of a German King, 1201"[19], The confusion in the Empire allowed Innocent to drive out the imperial feudal lords from Ancona, Spoleto and Perugia, who had been installed by Emperor Henry VI. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. The patrimonium was routinely threatened by Hohenstaufen German kings who, as Roman emperors, claimed it for themselves. Papal authority was represented by the Sun, and the Moon signified the power of lay princes. The war lasted until after Innocent’s death. PhD diss., University of Syracuse, 2003. All three tracts demonstrate his ability to use the Bible to understand Christian institutions in creative and original ways. Pope Innocent III reigned as pope for almost 20 years (1198-1216), during a remarkably turbulent age. When Innocent was elevated to the papacy, the political situation in Italy and Germany was precarious because of Philip of Swabia’s and Otto of Brunswick’s competing claims for the imperial throne. ), born Lotario de' Conti di Segni, was Pope from January 8, 1198 until his death. Author of. "[39] It assumes that Jews blaspheme Christ, and therefore, as it would be "too absurd for a blasphemer of Christ to exercise power over Christians",[40] Jews should not be appointed to public offices. Earlier popes had confined their claims of sovereignty over the Papal States (Patrimony of St. Peter) to the area immediately around Rome, but Innocent used the power vacuum created by the death of the emperor to make much more expansive claims. Innocent III Innocent III (c 1160-1216 CE) was born into a Roman family as Lothair of Segni. Updates? BY C. H. C. PIRIE-GORDON (btm format), Adrian Fletcher's Paradoxplace – Portrait (Subiaco) and Tomb (Lateran) of Innocent III, Cambridge History of Renassiance Philosophy, Pope Innocent III and the Marks of a Great Papacy, TRACES OF THE BOGOMIL MOVEMENT IN ENGLISH. Reluctantly, Pope Innocent agreed to meet with Francis and the brothers the next day. Innocent undoubtedly chose the day of his consecration carefully. Over a period of 500 years, his family gave the Church thirteen popes, three anti popes, forty cardinals and a queen. 1216) is widely regarded as the most powerful pope of the Middle Ages. The French failed to raise sufficient funds for payment of the Venetians. Innocent III excommunicated the crusaders who attacked Byzantine cities, but was unable to physically halt or overturn their actions. Pope Innocent III Was Also Known As Lothair of Segni; in Italian, Lotario di Segni (birth name). Lothar probably entered clerical orders in Rome while he was a young boy. Innocent III, the most significant pope of the Middle Ages. In the event, the sack of Constantinople and the subsequent period of Frankokratia heightened the hostility between the Latin and Greek churches. The group was tonsured. Pope Innocent was one of the most powerful and influential of … [4], Lotario received his early education in Rome, probably at the Benedictine abbey of St Andrea al Celio, under Peter Ismael;[5] he studied theology in Paris under the theologians Peter of Poitiers, Melior of Pisa, and Peter of Corbeil,[6] and (possibly) jurisprudence in Bologna, according to the Gesta (between 1187 and 1189). This occurred, according to tradition, on 16 April 1210, and constituted the official founding of the Franciscan Order. At the beginning of his pontificate, Innocent faced several serious problems. He also sent envoys to King John of England and King Philip of France, who pledged to contribute to the campaign,[citation needed] and John also declared his support for the clerical tax in his kingdom. This diversion was adopted without the consent of Innocent III, who threatened excommunication to any who took part in the attack. ...Far be it from us that we should defer to man rather than to God, or that we should fear the countenance of the powerful. Lothar’s early education took place at the monastery of St. Andrew at Rome . [15], There was scarcely a country in Europe over which Innocent III did not in some way or other assert the supremacy which he claimed for the papacy. Per venerabilem (“Through Our Venerable Brother”), the decretal letter he wrote in 1202 reserving this right, quickly became part of canon law, even though Innocent’s claim was without precedent. The intent of the truce was not to allow the two kings to lead the crusade, but rather to free their resources to assist the Crusade. By October 30, 1198, Innocent sent a letter to the rectors of those cities that had submitted to papal lordship. At the beginning of his second year as pope, Innocent turned his attention to the problem of heresy within the borders of Christendom. The pope put Archbishop Hubert Walter in charge of collecting these dues. The Pope invested the young Frederick II as King of Sicily in November 1198. King Peter II of Aragon, Count of Barcelona, was directly involved in the conflict, and was killed in the course of the Battle of Muret in 1213. Both powers were established by God, he explained, but, just as the Moon received its splendour from the Sun, royal power acquired its greatness and dignity from papal authority. He sent Peter of Capua to the kings of France and England with specific instructions to convince them to settle their differences, resulting in a truce of five years between the two nations, beginning in 1199. His most creative rhetorical statements on papal power were expressed in letters that expanded the authority of the pope over emperor, kings, princes, and bishops. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Innocent-III-pope, The Catholic Encyclopedia - Biography of Pope Innocent III, Jewish Encyclopedia - Biography of Innocent III, Christianity Today - Biography of Innocent III, Pope Innocent III - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. On 19 April 1213 Pope Innocent iii wrote to the prelates and sovereigns of Latin Christendom announcing a universal council to be held in Rome on 1 November 1215, two and a half years hence. The cardinal, who was the confessor of Pope Innocent III, was immediately sympathetic to Francis and agreed to represent Francis to the pope. Pope Innocent III was one of the most influential popes of the medieval age. The council also mandated a strict lifestyle for clergy. In spite of his youth and lack of administrative experience, the cardinals quickly elected Lothar pope on the same day that the aged pope Celestine III died (January 8, 1198). Elected pope on January 8, 1198, Innocent III reformed the Roman Curia, reestablished and expanded the pope’s authority over the Papal States, worked tirelessly to launch Crusades to recover the Holy Land, combated heresy in Italy and He ordered the bishops of Southern France to put under interdict the participants in the murder and all the towns that gave shelter to them. The pope's decision need not be based on the greater or less legality of either election, but on the qualifications of the claimants. In the name of Mary, who has obtained for me the favour of appealing to you, help me!” At that moment he disappeared and St. Lutgarda informed her sisters of what she had seen as Innocent had asked her to redouble her prayers and penances to free him from purgatory before the consummation of the world. Innocent III likewise represented to medieval Catholics what a pope should be:  an unrelenting champion of orthodoxy, a vigilant guardian of the Church ever willing to call for swords about the Cross to protect the Faith, a personal life marked by piety and charity. Although little is known about his stay in Paris, what is known is suggestive. In the Gesta, his biographer commented that the more Innocent wished to free himself from secular affairs, the greater they burdened him. "Sermons of Pope Innocent III: The 'Moral Theology' of a Pastor and Pope." Faced with these challenges, Innocent moved quickly and effectively to recover the Papal States and also attempted to exercise his rights as feudal overlord of the kingdom of Sicily. AKA Lotario de' Conti. St. Lutgardis heeded his plea and years later he reappeared to her resplendent in glory to thank her for obtaining his release from purgatory. [26][30], At the onset of the crusade, the intended destination was Egypt, as the Christians and Muslims were under a truce at the time. St. Francis of Assisi by G.K. Chesterton (1924), pp. Although he may have pursued law for more than two or three years (the chronology of his life at this time is uncertain), it did not become the discipline that shaped his worldview or his vision of the papacy. He is said to have appeared to St. Lutgarda in her monastery at Aywieres in Brabant. and served pope until his death in 1216 C.E. On August 15, 1198, he sent letters to the kings and bishops of Christendom, imploring them to take up the cross and launch a new Crusade. [38] Canon 69 forbade "that Jews be given preferment in public office since this offers them the pretext to vent their wrath against the Christians. [7] As pope, Lotario was to play a major role in the shaping of canon law through conciliar canons and decretal letters.[3]. Innocent, he wrote, had often remarked, “Who touches tar is dirtied by it” (Ecclesiasticus 13:1). Emperor Henry VI expected his infant son Frederick to bring Germany, Italy, and Sicily under a single ruler, which would leave the Papal States exceedingly vulnerable. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Innocent greatly extended the scope of the Crusades, directing crusades against Muslim Iberia and the Holy Land as well as the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars in southern France. Owing to his brilliance, learning and personal integrity, Pope Gregory VIII appointed him sub-deacon of Rome. If the pope finds that the king who has been elected by the princes is unworthy of the imperial dignity, the princes must elect a new king or, if they refuse, the pope will confer the imperial dignity upon another king; for the Church stands in need of a patron and defender. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume VIII. 1160 or 1161––d. Finally, in 1208, following the assassination of the papal legate, Innocent launched a Crusade against the heretics and gave the participants full Crusader indulgences and privileges. He promised Crusaders a new papal indulgence, took them under papal protection, and imposed a tax on the clergy to help pay for the expedition. [12], As pope, Innocent III began with a very wide sense of his responsibility and of his authority. They also reveal that his experience in Paris shaped his worldview more than his stay in Bologna. Fearing the ambitions of the Hohenstaufen Philip, Innocent supported Otto until the murder of Philip in 1208, at which point Otto violated his agreements with the pope. Pope Innocent III is considered to be one of the greatest medieval popes. The conflict was decided by the Battle of Bouvines on 27 July 1214, which pitted Otto, allied to King John of England against Philip II Augustus. AN ESSAY ON HIS LIFE AND TIMES. The count protested his innocence and submitted to the pope, probably out of cowardice, but the pope placed no further trust in him. Innocent understood the dangers of a pope exercising secular power, however. [44], His Latin works include De miseria humanae conditionis, a tract on asceticism that Innocent III wrote before becoming pope, and De sacro altaris mysterio, a description and exegesis of the liturgy.[9]. Birthplace: Anagni, Italy Location of death: Perugia, Italy Cause of death: unspecified Remains: Buried, . These efforts produced few results. At the same time he was supporting St. Dominic, Innocent permitted St. Francis of Assisi to continue recruiting brothers and gave limited approval to the Franciscan religious life in 1210. It is terrible; and will last for centuries if you do not come to my assistance. From the beginning of his pontificate, Innocent also sought to establish papal temporal authority over Rome and the Papal States. Innocent III, original name Lothar of Segni, Italian Lotario di Segni, (born 1160/61, Gavignano Castle, Campagna di Roma, Papal States [now in Italy]—died July 16, 1216, Perugia), the most significant pope of the Middle Ages. 107–108, "Pope Innocent III (Lotario dei conti di Segni) [Catholic-Hierarchy]", "Catholic Encyclopedia: Pope Innocent III", "LOTARIO DEI CONTI DEI SEGNI [POPE INNOCENT III], De miseria humanae conditionis [On the Misery of Human Condition] In Latin, manuscript on parchment likely Italy, c. 1250", Medieval Sourcebook: Innocent III: Letters on Papal Polices, "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Pope Innocent III", Robinson, Paschal. The Council had set the beginning of the Fifth Crusade for 1217, under the direct leadership of the Church. A second diversion then occurred when the crusaders decided to conquer Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, at the behest of the exiled Byzantine prince Alexios IV. [41], Innocent III, however, died suddenly at Perugia[3] on 16 June 1216. In spite of Innocent’s best efforts, the Fourth Crusade (1202–04) lacked strong leadership and was chronically short of money. King Philip II of France supported Philip's claim, whereas King Richard I of England supported his nephew Otto. Among other things, it encouraged creating schools and holding clergy to a higher standard than the laity. In exchange, Innocent was also able to recover papal rights in Sicily that had been surrendered decades earlier to King William I of Sicily by Pope Adrian IV. Without a doubt, Innocent (Lothar of Sengi) is one of the most interesting popes of the medieval period in which crusades are executed, kings are deposed, This study will seek to examine how effective Innocent was as a pope and whether he should be remembered as a sinner or a saint. Born into a noble Roman family, he studied theology at the University of Paris and jurisprudence at the University of Bologna. If after a due interval they have not reached an agreement they must ask the pope to arbitrate, failing which, he must of his own accord and by virtue of his office decide in favour of one of the claimants. Henry VI's widow, Constance of Sicily, ruled over Sicily for her young son before he reached the age of majority. He organized the Fourth Crusade of 1202–1204, which ended in the sack of Constantinople. [22] In his turn, Frederick II would later become a bitter opponent of the papacy once his empire was secure. Omissions?
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