CHRISTIANITY had for a period of seven hundred years, glorified God,
sanctified man, and given consolation to the earth, before any minister
of the gospel ever thought of erecting himself into a temporal prince.
This ambition sprung up in the eighth century, after the dissolution of
the Roman empire, and the ravages of the barbarians, in the bosom of
universal ignorance, and of troubles which overturned Europe, but in an
especial manner rent and divided Italy. But the popes had scarcely
obtained the exercise of a precarious civil power when, corrupted by
functions so foreign to their apostolic ministry, unfaithful vicars of
Christ and of the sovereign, they aspired to be no longer dependent, and
speedily to rule. Menacing in the ninth century and dissolute in the
tenth, the pontifical court had weakened itself by the publicity of its
vices, when the stern Gregory VII. conceived the idea of a universal
theocracy: an audacious enterprize, weakly sustained by most of the
pontiffs of the twelfth century, but which Innocent III. realized at the
opening of the thirteenth; this is the era of the greatest display of
the spiritual and temporal supremacy of the bishops of Rome.—Their
residence within the walls of Avignon in the fourteenth century, and the
schism which was prolonged to the middle of the fifteenth, abated their
power and even their ambition; after the year 1450, the popes no longer
thought of any thing but the aggrandizement of their families. Julius
II. came too late to attempt anew the subjugation of kings; his
successors during the sixteenth century, to prevent being too much
humbled themselves, had need of an address which those of the
seventeenth did not inherit; and the foil of the temporal power of the
popes has been only retarded, since the year 1700, by the wise conduct
of two pontiffs and the little attention which the errors of others
claimed.
The political revolutions which followed the dethronement of Augustulus;
the elevation of Pepin to the throne of France, and of Charlemagne to
the empire; the weakness of Louis le Debonnaire, and the partition of
his states among his children; the imprudence of some kings who
solicited against one another the thunders of the Vatican; the
fabrication of the decretals; the propagation of a canonical
jurisprudence contrary to the ancient laws of the church; the rivalry of
two houses in Germany; the schemes of independence adopted, by some
Italian cities; the crusades, the inquisition, and the innumerable
multitude of monastic establishments: such were the causes which
produced, confirmed, extended, and for so long a period sustained the
temporal power of the popes, and favoured the abuse of their spiritual
functions.
This power had for its effects the corruption of manners, the vices of
the clergy, heresies, schisms, civil wars, eternal commotions, the
deepest misery in the states immediately under the government of the
popes, and the most terrible disasters to those which they aspired to
rule. The popes of the first seven centuries generally set an example of
the Christian and sacerdotal virtues: the generality of their successors
have proved bad princes without being good bishops. We have rendered our
homage to some: for instance, to a Gregory II. in the eighth century; a
Leo IV. in the ninth; to Calixtus II. Honorius II. and Alexander III. in
the twelfth; to Nicholas V. in the fifteenth; to Leo X. in the
sixteenth; and to Benedict XIV. and Clement XIV. in the eighteenth. We
would have been pleased in having much more opportunity to praise; but
when we reflect on the confused mixture of the sacred ministry with
political power, upon this amalgamation so calculated to deprave both of
these heterogeneous elements, we are not astonished at finding much
fewer good governors in the catalogue of popes than in the list of any
other description of sovereigns.
All these bitter fruits of pontifical dominion have contributed to
destroy it: eventually, so many abuses, excesses, and scandals, rendered
Christian Europe justly indignant. But, causes more direct, and which we
have in succession noted, have since the middle of the thirteenth
century shaken the edifice of this intolerable tyranny: let it suffice
that we here recall a few of them; the holy opposition of Louis IX. the
firmness of Philip the Fair; the frenzy of Boniface VIII. the
irregularities of the court of Avignon; the schism of the West; the
pragmatic sanction of Charles VII. the restoration of letters; the
invention of printing; the despotism of the popes of the fifteenth
century; the ambitious designs of Sixtus IV. the crimes of Alexander VI.
the ascendancy of Charles V. the progress of heresy in Germany, England,
and other countries; the troubles in France under the son of Hemy II.
the wise administration of Henry IV. the Edict of Nantes; the Four
Articles of 1682; the dissensions arising from the formulary of
Alexander VII. and the bull, ‘Unigenitus,’ of Clement XI.; lastly, the
Quixotic enterprises of Benedict XIII., Clement XIII. and other pontiffs
of the eighteenth century. No! the Papal power can never survive so much
disgrace: its hour is come; and there remains no alternative to the
popes, but to become, as they had been during the first seven centuries,
humble pastors, edifying apostles: it is a destiny abundantly noble.
Once relieved from the burden of temporal affairs, and devoted to their
evangelical ministry, they would be so much the less tempted to abuse
their sacred office; as there exists to bound their spiritual authority,
efficacious means which have been taught by experience. It would even be
superfluous to revert to the decrees of the councils of Constance and
Basle; or to the pragmatic sanction of 1439: the Four Articles of 1682
are sufficient.
The king of France, Henry IV. had given the example of another security
against the pontifical enterprises, when, by his edict of Nantes, he
permitted the free exercise of a religion which was not that of the
state, and of which he had the happiness to acknowledge and abjure the
errors. Toleration of all modes of adoring the Deity is a debt due from
sovereigns to their subjects; the gospel which directs the preaching of
truths and the enlightening those who are in error, forbids by this very
act itself the persecuting of them; for persecution must rather confirm
in heresy or extort hypocritical abjurations, which deprave morality and
outrage religion. All the Christian kings who have harassed religious
sects, have been in their turn disturbed by the popes, and obliged to
resist them: St. Louis himself did not escape this just ordination of
Providence. To know how far a prince yields to the yoke of the pontiffs;
we have only to look to what degree he limits the consciences of his
subjects; his own independence is to be measured by the religious
liberty which he permits to them: it is necessary, if he wish not to be
subjected himself, that he inflexibly refuse to priests, or to the
prince of priests, the proscription of modes of worship which differ
from the dominant church.
The liberty, or if you please, the toleration of these various
professions, supposes in those who exercise them the perfect enjoyment
of every right, civil and political, granted to other subjects; whence
it follows, that legislation should altogether detach from the religious
system the particular situation of individuals, and consequently the
circumstances of births, marriages, divorces, burials, which tend to
determine it. Here the ecclesiastical office is confined to exhorting
the faithful to the observance of certain precepts, or to religious
advice, and administering to them the rites of the church or the
sacraments, instituted to sanctify the various periods of human life. It
is to civil legislation, and to it alone, can belong the establishment
of offices purely civil to verify these acts, to invest them with the
forms it has prescribed, and which ought to ensure the public
authenticity of them, and guarantee all their effects. Now such a
legislation is in itself one of the firmest barriers against
ecclesiastical usurpation, and the fatal influence which the head of the
clergy would willingly exercise in the bosom of empires and of families.
The history of the first ages of Christianity would, perhaps, point out
other preservatives against the pontifical ambition. It should be the
endeavour to substitute the ancient laws of the church, in place of
those of the middle age, framed to give a separate interest to the
clerical body, and render it devoted to the court of Rome, in loosing it
from all domestic and patriotic ties. We must avow that these delicate
reformations should be matured by time, and carried into effect with
circumspection: it is requisite that, induced by publish wish, and as it
were enacted by public opinion, they should be previously agreed upon,
and looked for with hope before being established. But, to submit to a
regime purely civil all the circumstances which determine the personal
state, to tolerate the various modes of worship which may desire
peaceably to exist around the established one; to render to the articles
of 1682 the most sacred authority; and, above all, to abolish for ever
the temporal power of the popes; these four steps, as easy as they were
salutary, have been but too long deferred: no obstacle, no fear, no
anticipation, can advise to defer them; and without doubt they will for
a long period be sufficient to prevent the principal abuses of the
spiritual office.
Among these abuses, however, there are two that we conceive it our duty
to point out more particularly: the one consists in excommunications,
the other in the refusal of canonical investiture.
Although the Christian churches were only individual associations, they
ought to possess the right of excluding from their bosom vicious or
dissentient members, who, by their scandalous conduct or discord,
disturbed the sacred harmony of those assemblies. From this so natural
right, the exercise of which had for a long period been as gentle as it
was secret, sprung up, in the middle ages those thundering anathemas,
which shook thrones and overturned empires. It was no longer either vice
or error which was excommunicated: the sacred thunder served only to
avenge the temporal interests of the clergy and of the sovereign
pontiff. Who can particularize the number of emperors, kings, and other
princes who, from the eighth century to the eighteenth, have been struck
by this, often formidable, arm? To confine ourselves to the
very-christian kings of France, we may count, between Charlemagne and
Louis the Just, twelve sovereigns who have suffered ecclesiastical
censures: in the ninth century, Louis-le-Debonnaire and Charles the
Bold; in the tenth, Robert; in the eleventh, Philip I.; in the twelfth,
Louis VII. and Philip Augustus; in the sixteenth, Louis XII. Henry II.
Henry III. and Henry IV. Now of all these excommunicated kings Henry the
IV. alone could have been accused of heresy: the orthodoxy of the others
was without reproach; there was no question but that of their political
relations with Rome, and the independence claimed for their crown. But,
the excessive, the profane use of these anathemas, brought them into
such discredit, that in the present day it would be as ridiculous to
fear them as it would be to renew them.
Stripped of all temporal power, and become the subject of one of the
princes of Europe, will the pope excommunicate his own sovereign? Such
audacity or extravagance is not by any means probable. It is true that
past ages offer examples of it; but, at the present time, too just an
idea is formed of such anathemas; it would now be regarded but as a
seditious libel, a public instigation to revolt, an insult on the
majesty of the sovereign and of the laws, a penal though an impotent
attempt.
Will the sovereign under whom the pope shall live, permit him to
excommunicate foreign princes, whether allies or enemies? we cannot
imagine such an imprudence. We have, no doubt, beheld monarchs thus
direct against their rivals those spiritual arms which were soon after
turned against themselves: but experience has sufficed to deter them
from a description of warfare as uncertain as it is ungenerous. Besides,
where shall we now find a nation, a mob even, ignorant enough not to be
aware that they are only expressive of pontifical caprice or spleen, or
a puerile regret for some foolish prerogative?
In fine, will the sovereign of the pope permit his other subjects,
magistrates, public officers, or private individuals, to be struck by
ecclesiastical censures? we will never suppose it. In a regulated state
every condemnation is pronounced in the name of the prince, by the
officers specially appointed for this description of judicial functions;
and no public censure should emanate from an authority foreign to
his.—Let us add, that from the moment the church becomes incorporated
with the state, it ceases to be a distinct association: Christianity
becomes an institution recognized by the laws: and the acts of the
religious ‘regime,’ from the time they require publicity, belong to the
general administration. Thenceforward if it belong to the bishops, the
pope, or the councils, to condemn dogmatical errors, without the
intervention of the sovereign, at least their persons remain under his
protection, and ought not to be officially marked out or disgraced, but
agreeable to the forms prescribed by him.
It now remains for us to speak of canonical institution.
That each newly elected bishop should pay homage to the head of the
church, is an act of communion with the Holy See extremely commendable.
That the nominator of this bishop should be expressly approved by the
pope, is a practice calculated to draw closer the ties which ought to
connect the first pastor with all the others. That the pope should even
profit of this circumstance to examine the qualifications of the
elected, and to remonstrate against an improper choice, is also a
security of the honour of the clergy and the discreet administration of
the dioceses; it is also a means of enlightening the religion of the
prince, and providing against surprise or error. But, that the pope
should refuse investiture to a prelate whom the sovereign thinks
irreproachable, or that, from considerations foreign to the person of
the individual elected, from motives merely political, or, because of
certain differences between the sovereign and the pope, the latter
should persevere in with-holding all canonical investiture; so criminal
an abuse of a respectable office authorizes a reversion to the ancient
privilege of nomination. We have collected, in concluding the tenth
chapter, the principles professed on this head by the advocate general
Talon at the close of the seven-, teenth century; about which time
Bossuet traced the origin of bulls of investiture and acknowledged their
novelty.³²⁸
“As the pope,” he says, “gives
“bulls for the investiture of bishops, Bellarmin fixes
“on this point, which he exhibits as an important
“proof in favor of his opinion. But he does not
“condescend to observe how modern this practice
“is, and how often the church has united with the
“Greeks and other Orientals, yet leaving them in
“full possession of their ancient customs, and with−
“out obliging them to look for bulls.... The church
“of Carthage possessed the absolute right of or−
“daining the bishops dependent on it, as also the
“bishops of Ephesus, of Cesarea in Cappadocia,
“and Heraclia. Our Gallic churches and those of
“Spain enjoyed the same privilege.”
³²⁸ Def. of the Clergy of France, 1. 8. c. 15.
These two authorities, Talon and Bossuet, might suffice; but it may not
be useless to establish on this important point a chronological series
of facts and of evidence.
We read in the Acts of the Apostles³²⁹ that the bishops are appointed
by the Holy Ghost to rule the church of God: neither this verse of
Scripture, nor any other sacred text, makes mention of the pope as a
universal pastor by whom all the rest are to be ordained. We should
vainly seek for the slightest vestige of a bull of ordination, granted
by the sovereign pontiff to the bishops of the earlier ages: for
example, to St. Cyprian, St. Chrysostom, St. Basil, St. Ambrose, or St.
Augustine. St. Cyprian, on the contrary, having adopted an erroneous
opinion, was scarcely in communion with the pope. The Council of Nice³³⁰
directs that each diocesan bishop may be confirmed by his metropolitan
or archbishop; a regulation which leaves no pretext for supposing that
the bishop of Rome had, in this respect, any function to perform. Three
popes of the fifth century, Zosimus, Leo the Great, and Gelasius, have
spoken of the installation of prelates, claiming for the metropolitan,
and for him alone, the right of investiture. Zosimus³³¹ says, that the
Apostolic See itself ought to respect this prerogative of the
metropolitans. That a bishop should be required by the people, elected
by the clergy, consecrated by the bishops of the province, under the
presidency of the metropolitan, is all that is insisted on by Leo I.³³²
and lastly, Gelasius³³³ decides, that when the metropolitan is dead, it
belongs to the provincial bishops to confirm and consecrate his
successors. A council of Toledo in 681,³³⁴ confers the same right on
the bishop of the metropolis; and this doctrine was so well established
in Spain, that before the thirteenth century, the bishops of this
kingdom had never applied to the pope for bulls of investiture or
confirmation.
³²⁹ C. xx. v. 28.
³³⁰ Can. 4. Council. Hord. vol. 1. Col. 783.
³³¹ Epist. 7.
³³² Epist. 8.
³³³ Epist. ad Episco. Dardan.
³³⁴ Canon 6.
Many authors fix the origin of this pretension of the pope in the
pontificate of Alexander III, 1159, 118-1.
Potestas sane vel confirm&tio pertiaebit per singulas provincias ad
metropolitanum episcopum.
See a like regulation in the twelfth canon of the Council of Laodicea.
“We may easily suppose,” they add, “that the metropolitans of Germany,
and especially those who are also electors of the empire, have borne
with much unwillingness this great diminution of their rights, with
respect to the confirmation of the new bishops, elected in their
respective provinces; and the grievances drawn up at Constance under
the emperor Sigismund, by the deputies of the provinces of Germany, and
laid before the Council of Constance afterwards, by deputies of the same
nation, as Galdart relates, clearly evinces: [here follows what we read
in the 3d chapter]: Every time that it becomes necessary to proceed to
an election, after it shall have been terminated, let it be examined
according to legal form by the immediate superior; and, if found
canonical, let it be confirmed; and let not the sovereign pontiff be
allowed in any way to attempt any the smallest thing to the contrary,
unless that the elected be immediately subject to him; in which case he
may intimate his prohibition; or, unless they have acted in some way
contrary to the regular forms: in such case, as he is bound to the
observance of the law, so is it allowable to him when any thing is done
contrary to that law, or attempted to be done, to reform it, and even
correct and punish the transgressors. We have before proved, that this
latter power belongs to the sovereign pontiff of common right. Although
the council of Constance in the 36th session, to prevent the peace of
the church being disturbed, ratified the confirmation of bishopricks,
made by popes whom it deposed shortly after; and, although it directed
the expediting and signing in its name the bulls which had never been
given to bishops who had abdicated, or who were driven from their sees;
it, nevertheless, thought seriously at the same time of reducing the
confirmation of bishops to the terms of the ancient law, since, in the
decree of the 40th session, by which it prescribed to the pope who was
about to be elected, by way of salutary caution, many points of the
great-est importance, to which in the sequel a better form was to have
been given, it inserted in the 5th article that of the confirmation of
electors. But what the council of Constance only premeditated, we know
that the council of Basle carried more fully into effect: for, after
having annulled the reservation as well general as particular, it only
allowed, that in cases where the church or the commonweal might suffer
damage, the sovereign pontiff might be resorted to for the confirma*
tion of canonical elections; adding, that if the confirmation was
refused at Rome, the new election should devolve on the chapters. For
the rest, it clearly directs, that the elections be made without
impediment; and confirmed after examination, agreeable to the
disposition of the common law. The grievances of Mayence, drawn up after
the council of Basle in 1440, and reported in Scakenburg under the term
‘project of a concordat’ are entirely in unison with these complaints;
they explain the meaning of these words ‘according to the disposition of
the common law,’ when they assert, that according to common right, the
privilege of confirming elections should be restored to the immediate
superior: the election being terminated, they say, the decree of
“election ought to be presented to the immediate superior” to whom
belongs the right of confirmation; this superior ought, in this matter,
examine with care the form of the election, the merits of the elected,
and every other circumstance relating thereto; so that if the election
ought to be affirmed, it maybe so judicially. The father of the diocesan
synod of Freisingen in Bavaria adopted, in the same year 1440, these
projects of the States of the Empire, &c.
It is nevertheless to the eleventh century we may trace up in many
churches the custom of an oath, by which each newly elected prelate
bound himself “to defend the domains of St. Peter against every
aggressor; to preserve, augment, and extend, the rights, honours,
privileges, and powers, of the lord pope and his successors; to observe,
and with all his power cause to be observed, the decrees, ordonances,
reservations, provisions, and directions whatever, emanating from the
court of Rome; to persecute and combat heretics and schismatics to the
utmost extremity, with all who will not render to the sovereign pontiff
all the obedience which the sovereign pontiff pleases to exact.”
This oath, who can believe it? has been taken by bishops whose
sovereigns were not catholic princes.
How are we to conceive that sovereigns, catholic or not, could have
allowed their subjects to enter into engagements so opposed to the good
order of society at large:—it was complained of in Hungary, in Tuscany,
and in the kingdom of Naples; and the prelates of Germany placed
restrictions on this formula. But it is in itself so revolting, and
besides so foreign to the discipline of the ten first centuries of the
church, that we cannot believe they mean seriously to allege it as a
proof of the necessity of bulls of investiture.
Some French authors have observed how the public and notorious
dissensions between pope Innocent XI. and Louis XIV. seemed to present a
favorable opportunity for re-establishing the ancient discipline, and
for terminating this shameful subjection, which drew after it the
obligation of soliciting and obtaining pontifical bulls for consistorial
benefices. By so doing, there would not only remain in the kingdom
immense sums of money, now sent every year to Rome, but the bishops
would again enter into their ancient rights, and the clergy, as well
regular as secular, would be in consequence better governed.—On the
Government of the Church translated from the Latin of Febronius, vol. i.
c. 4. s. 3.—For original see Appendix B.
Another formula was introduced in the thirteenth century, to wit, that
by which the prelates were termed “bishops.... by the grace of the Holy
Apostolic See.” An archbishop of Nicosia first employed it in 1251, and
was followed in it by many of his brethren. The French bishops did not
adopt it till a later period; and some suppressed it as incorrect,
abusive, and novel: Bossuet termed himself ‘bishop by the divine
permission.’
At the close of the fourteenth century, when the Castilians had
withdrawn from their obedience to Peter de Lune, Henry III. king of
Castile, commanded the archbishops to invest the bishops.³³⁵ —The king
of France did the same, when, at the same period, the Gallican church
refused to recognize any of the three contending popes. In 1587 the
bishop of Constance was consecrated, installed, and put into full
possession of his office ten years before the bulls from Rome were
received; this is attested by the pleadings of the advocate-general
Servin, wherein the right of dispensing with these bulls is proved by
the ancient discipline of the church. This was, as we have seen, the
doctrine of the French bishops consulted by the court of Portugal;³³⁶
it was that of Simond, of Peter de Marca, of Thomassin, and of Talon and
Bossuet.
³³⁵ Gonzales de Avila. History of the Antiquities of the city of
Salamanca, 1. 3, c. 14.
³³⁶ See page 298. (Ism. Bull.) Libelli duo pro eccl. Lucitanicis:
Parisiis in 1655, in 4to.—Narratio...rerum quæ acci-derant super
confirmaodis......episcopis Lusitanie; Ulypsip. 1667, in 4to.
Simond³³⁷ observes, that before the fifteenth century, when Gaul was
subject to the Romans, the bishops, elected by the people and the
clergy, were invested only by the metripolitan.
De Macra,³³⁸ desires they may banish from Christian schools, the novel
and unheard-of doctrine, unknown to the twelve first centurics, which
inculcates the belief that the bishops receive their authority from the
pope; he is of opinion, that many circumstances may fully authorize the
bishops to dispense with the modern custom of appointments termed
canonical, and the reverting to natural and divine right, without any
respect to the forms introduced by the new law; and father Thomassin³³⁹
assures us that, notwithstanding the efforts he has made to discover in
antiquity some vestiges of this institution, he has found, on the
contrary, that the ancient bishops, and especially those of the East,
ascended their sees without the popes having been made acquainted with
it. Lastly, in 1718, the council of Regency consulted the Sorbonne on
this point, which decided, that, circumstances or occasion requiring, it
might restore to their ancient privileges of investing, without
pontifical bulls, the prelates legitimately elected. This is surely
enough to demonstrate that these bulls are in no wise necessary, and
that, at least, they may be considered as obtained, when they are
refused from motives foreign to the personal qualifications of the
elected.
³³⁷ Præfat. ad App. Concil. Gall. v. 2.
³³⁸ De concord, sacerd. et imperii.
³³⁹ Discip. Eccles. vol. 2, p. 2,1. 2, c. 8
The historical details of this feeble and too hasty essay, rather
glanced at than fully developed, expose slightly, at least, the dangers
of the temporal sovereignty of the pope, and the limits which ought to
confine his spiritual authority. These limits had need to be assigned by
a victorious hand, capable of setting bounds to all subaltern ambition,
and unaccustomed to suffer any restrictions to be put on the progress of
civilization, the diffusion of knowledge, and the glory of a great
empire. The abolition of the terrestrial power of the pontiffs, is one
of the greatest benefits Europe can be indebted for to a Hero. The
destiny of a new founder of the Western Empire is, to repair the errors
of Charlemagne, to surpass him in wisdom, and therefore in power; to
govern and consolidate the States which Charles knew only how to conquer
and rule; in fine, to render eternal the glory of an august reign, in
securing, by energetical establishments, the prosperity of succeeding
sceptres.³⁴⁰
³⁴⁰ “The re-establishment of metropolitans in their ancient rights,”
says the bishop of Novarra, “confers the means of providing,
without any injurious delay, for the vacant churches. It was for
this purpose that the famous council of Nice conferred on the
metropolitan alone the ordination of bishops: all the succeeding
councils have been unwilling to recognize as bishop him who was
not ordained by the decree of his metropolitan. The Roman pontiffs
themselves have asserted this general doctrine of the church to
the year 1051; and it was religiously observed during upwards of a
thousand years. The bishop consecrated by the metropolitan and by
his suffragans proceeded at once to the government of his church,
and was installed by the clergy of the vacant see. Antiquity knew
of no canonical institution or oath of fidelity to the Roman
pontiffs, to which they would subject the episcopacy in these
latter times, and by which they restricted its divine and original
authority. Such are the true and invariable principles, is the
constant and pure doctrine, of the church.” Address of the bishop
of Novara to his His Imperial Highness the prince Viceroy of
Italy. Moniteur 11th February 1811. The bishop of Forli professes
the same principles. “The ordinary power of bishops,” says he, “is
derived immediately from Christ.... In whatsoever place a bishop
is to be found, whether at Rome, at Gubbio, at Constantinople, at
Reggio, at Alexandria, or at Favi, he has the same character and
posseses the same authority. All are equally successors of the
apostles, so says St. Jerome.... After the abdication of
Necturius, the council of Ephesus wrote to the clergy of
Constantinople to take charge of this church, in order to render
account thereof to him who by the divine will should be ordained
thereto by command of the emperor....For upwards of a thousand
years, no canonical investment was known in the church, nor oath
of fidelity to the pope; obligations fatal to the ordinary
authority of the episcopacy,” &c.—Moniteur, 16 Feb. 1811. “I am
perfectly satisfied,” says the bishop of Verona, “that the
spiritual jurisdiction which a bishop exercises is derived to him
immediately from God, and that he may be placed in his see by the
competent power, in virtue of the canonical decrees of the
universal church....Bishops are not the vicars of the sovereign
pontiff, but the true ordinaries of their dioceses....In the
council of Trent, the most learned bishops strongly defended the
prerogatives of the episcopacy.”—Moniteur, 1st of March, 1811. The
bishop of Verona, whose expressions we have above transcribed,
published about thirty years since a volume in 4vo, entitled ‘De
Finibus Sacerdotii et Imperii,’ a learned and judicious work which
the court of Rome hastened to condemn.—For original see Appendix
C.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE
FIRST CENTURY.
YEAR
1. St Peter, 66
2. St. Lin, son of Hercolanus,
born at Volterra in Toscany, died in 78
3. St. Anaclet, or Clet, died in 91
4. St. Clement, son of Faustinas, born at Rome, died in 100
SECOND CENTURY.
5. St. Evanstas, born in Syria, died in 109
6. St. Alexander I. 119
7. St. Sixtus I. born at Rome, 127
8. St. Telesphore, 139
9. St. Hyginus, died in 142
10. St. Pius I. 157
11. St. Anacetus, 168
12. St. Soter, born at Fondi, 177
13. St. Eleutberius, died the last day of the year 192
14. St. Victor, 202
THIRD CENTURY.
15. St. Zephirinus, died in 219
16. St. Calixtus I. 14th October, 222
17. St. Urban I. 25th May, 230
18. St. Pontien, 28th Sept. 235
19. St. Antherus, 3rd Jan. 236
20. St. Fabian, 28th Jan. 250
21. St. Cornelius, 14th Sept. 253
22. St. Lucius, I. 4th or 5th March, 255
28. St. Stephen I. 2nd Aug. 257
24. St. Sixtus II. 6th Aug. 258
25. St. Dionysius, 26th Dec. 269
26. St. Felix I. 22nd Dec. 274
27. St. Eutychian, 7th or 8th Dec. 283
28. St. Caius, 22nd April, 296
29. St. Marcellinus, 24th Oct. 304
FOURTH CENTURY.
30. St. Marcellus, a Roman by birth, died 16th Jan. 310
31. St. Eusebius, 26th Sept. 310
32. St. Miltiades or Melchiades, died 10th or 11th Jan. 314
33. St. Sylvester I. born at Rome, died 31st Dec. 335
Pretended donation of Constantine.
Council of Nice, 1st oecumenical, in 325
34. St. Mark, died the 7th Oct. 336
35. St. Julius I. a Roman by birth, died 13th April, 352
36. St. Liberius, 24th April, 366
Felix II. antipope, 22nd Nov. 365
37. St Damasiuc, a Roman, 10th or 11th Dec. 384
Council of Constantinople 2nd oecum. 381.
38. St. Siricius, a Roman, died 25th Nov, 398
The first of whom we have an authentic decree
39. St. Anastasius I. a Roman, died in 401 or 402
FIFTH CENTURY.
40. St. Innocent I. died 12th March 417
41. St. Zosimus, born in Greece, died 26th Dec. 418
42. St. Boniface I. a Roman, son of the priest
Jocundus, died 4th Sept. 422
43. St. Celestine I. a Roman, 30th July, 432
Council of Ephesus, 3rd oecumen. in 431.
44. St. Sixtus III. a Roman, 18th Aug. 440
46. St. Leo I. or the Great, born at Rome, one of
the doctors of the Latin Church,
died 6th or 8th Nov. 461
Council of Chalcedon, 4th oecumen. 451.
46. St. Hilary, a Sardinian, died 21st Feb. 468
47. St. Simplicius, native of Tivoli, died 25th Feb. 483
48. St. Felix III. a Roman, 24th or 25th Feb. 492
49. St. Gelaaias, born at Rome, 19th Nov. 498
50. St. Anastasias II. 17th Nov. 498
SIXTH CENTURY.
51. Symmachas, born in Sardinia, died the 9th July 514
52. Hormisdas, born at Frusignone in Campania died 6th Aug. 523
53. St. John I. a Toscan, 18th May, 525
54. Felix IV. a Samnite, in 530
55. Boniface II. born at Rome, of Gothic origin, died 532
56. John II. called Mercnrins, born at Rome, died 535
57. Agapit, son of the priest Gordian, died the 22d of April 536
58. Sylverius, a native of Campania son of pope Hormisdas 538
59. Vigilias, son of the Consul John, elected pope
Nov. 537, before the death of Sylverius,
died at Syracuse, 10th Jan. 555
2nd Council of Constantinople, and
6th œcumenical, held in 553
60. Pelagias I. died 1st March, 560
61. John III. called Cateline, born at Rome, died 13th July 575
62. Benedict Bonosius, 30th July, 557
63. Pelagias II. died 8th Feb. 590
64. St. Gregory I. or the Great, born at Rome, one
of the fathers or doctors of the Latin Cburch
12th March, 604
SEVENTH CENTURY.
65. Sabinian, died 22nd Feb. 606
66. Boniface III. 607
67. Boniface IV. native of Valeria, country of the Moors, 615
68. St. Dens Dedit, a Roman, 3rd Dec. 618
69. Boniface V. born at Naples, died 22d Oct. 626
70. Honoriua I. a native of Campania, son of the
consul Petronius, died 12th Oct. 638
AN INTERREGNUM OF TWENTY MONTHS
71. Severinus, born at Rome, consecrated in May, died 640
72. John IV. of Dalmatia, 11th Oct. 642
73. Theodore I. born at Jerusalem, died 13th May,
The first who received the title of sovereign
pontiff. 649
74. St. Martin I. of Todi, 17th Sept. 654
75. St. Eugene I. a Roman, 1st Jan. 657
76. Vitalian, born at Segni, 27th Jan. 662
77. Adeodat, a Roman, in June, 676
78. Donus or Domnas, a Roman, 11th April, 678
79. Agathon, a Sicilian, 10th June,
Third Council of Constantinople, the 6th
oecumenical, held in 680 and 681. 682
80. St. Leo II. a Sicilian, died in 683 or 684
81. Benedict II. a Roman, died 7th May, 685
82. John V. a Syrian, 7th Aug. 687
83. Conon, born in Sicily, of Thracian origin, died Sept. 687
84. St. Sergius I. born at Palermo, of Antiochian 8th Sept. 701
EIGHTH CENTURY.
85. John VI. a Greek, died 9th Jan. 705
86. John VII. a Greek, 17th Oct. 707
87. St.Sinnius, a Syrian, 7th Feb. 708
88. Constantine, a Syrian, 9th April, 715
89. St. Gregory II. a Roman, died the 10th Feb. 731
Quarrel with the Emperor Leo the Isaurian.
90. Gregory III. a Syrian, 27th Nov. 741
Excommunication of the Iconoclastes
—Roman Republic.
91. Zachary, a Greek, 14th March, 752
Accession of Pepin the Short.
Stephen elected pope in 752
died before being consecrated.
92. Stephen II. died 25th April, 757
Pretended sacred donation of Pepin,
letters of St. Peter, &c.
93. Paul I. brother of the preceding, died 28th Jan. 767
94. Stephen III. a Sicilian, 1st Feb. 772
95. Adrian I. son of Theodale, duke of Rome, 25th Dec. 795
Charlemagne in Italy.
Second Council of Nice, 7th oecumenical, in 787.
96. Leo III. a Roman, 11th June, 816
Charlemagne crowned emperor in 800.
False decretals
NINTH CENTURY.
97. Stephen IV. installed 22d June 816, died 24th Jan. 817
98. Pascal I. a Roman, installed 25th Jan. 817, died May 824
99. Eugene II. born at Rome installed and died in Aug. 827
100. Valentine, born at Rome installed and died, 827
101. Gregory IV. installed at the close of 827, died in Jan. 844
Humiliation of the emperor Louis−le−Debonairre.
102. Sergius II. installed the 27th January 844, 27th Jan. 847
103. St. Louis IV, elected in 847, died 17th July, 855
Leonine City, pages 48, 50.
104. Benedict III. installed 29th Sept. 855, died 8th April 858
105. Nicholas I. a Roman, installed 24th April 858 died Nov. 867
106. Adrian II. a Roman, installed 14th Dec. 867, died in 872
4th Council of. Constantinople, the 8th
œcumenical, held in 869.
107. John VIII. installed the 14th December 872, died Dec. 888
Charles the Bold crowned emperor in 875,
and Charles the Fat in 880.
108. Marinas, installed the end of December 882, died in May, 884
109. Adrian III. a Roman, installed in 884, died in Sept. 885
110. Stephen V. a Roman installed in Sept. 885, died 7th Aug. 891
111. Formosus, installed in Sept. 891, died in April 896
112. Boniface VI. installed and died in 896
113. Stephen VI. installed in 896, strangled 897
114. Romanus, born at Rome, installed 20th Aug. 897
115. Theodore II. installed and died in 898
116. John IX. a native of Tibar or Tivoli, died 900
TENTH CENTURY.
117. Benedict IV. elected in December, 900, died in October 903
118. Leo V. a native of Ardee, installed 28th Oct. 903,
banished in Nov. 903
119. Christophas, a Roman, installed in November, 903,
banished in Jane, 904
120. Sergios III. installed in 905, died in August, 911
121. Anastasias III. a Roman, installed Aug. 911, died Oct. 913
122. Landon, installed in 913, died April, 914
123. John X. installed the end of April, 914, died in prison 928
The lover of Theodora, the conqueror of
the Saracens, dethroned by Marosia
124. Leo VI. installed Jan. 928, died the 3rd of February 929
125. Steshen VII. installed in March 929, died in Mar. 931
126. John XI. son of Marosia, and it is said of
Sergios III. born in 906, installed on 20th
March, 931, died in prison, in Jan. 936
127. Leo VII. inst. in Jan. 936, died in July, 939
128. Stephen VIII. inst. July, 939, died Nov. 942
129. Martin III. a Roman, installed March, 942, died Jan. 945
130. Agapit II. a Roman, installed March, 946, died end of 955
131. John XII. Octavian, born at Rome in 938, of
the patrician Alberic, and afterwards patri−
cian himself in 954, installed in Jan. 956;
banished in 963 by the emperor Otho the Great, 963
132. Leo VIII. installed the 6th Dec. 963, died 17th March, 965
133. Benedict V. elected after the death of John XII.
May, 964 and died at Hamburg, the 5th of Jnly, 965
134. John XIII. called Poole Blanche, born at Rome,
installed the 1st Oct. 965, died 6th Sept. 972
135. Benedict VI. installed at the end of 972, strangled in 974
136. Boniface, Francon, son of Femicio, Anti−pope,
under the name of Boniface VIII. died in 975
137. Donas II. elected pope after the expulsion of
Francon or Boniface, died 25th Dec. 974
138. Benedict VII. a Roman, nephew of the patrician Alberic,
installed in 975, died 10th of July 983
139. John XIV. installed by the emperor Otho II.
in Nov. 983, banished by Francon or Boniface
in the month of March following put to death 20th Aug 984
John XV. who died before the month of July
is not counted: he is distinct from the following,
to whom the name of John XV. remains.
140. John XV. a Roman, son of the priest Leo,
installed in July, 906; banished by the
consul Creseentius in 987, restored by Otho III. died 996
141. Gregory V. Brunon, son of Duke Otho, and grandson
of the Emperor Otho I. installed 3d May,
banished by Creseentius in 997
142. John XVI. Philagathus, a Greek, installed by Cresentius
in 997, put to death by order of Gregory V.
who died 9th Feb. 999, 998
143. Sylvester II. Gerbert, born in Auvergne, archbishop
of Rheims, afterwards of Ravenna, installed Pope,
2d April, 999, died the 11th May, 1003
ELEVENTH CENTURY.
144. John XVII. Siccon or Secco, installed 9th Jan. 1003,
died 1st Oct. 1003
145. John XVIII. Phasian, born at Rome of the priest Orso,
installed 26th Dec. 1003, abdicated the end of May
1009, and died 18th July, 1009
146. Sergius IV. Petrus Bucca Porci, Peter Groin,
installed in 1009, died in 1112
147. Benedict VIII. John of Tusculum, died in 1024
Coronation of Henry II. emperor in 1013.
148. John XIX. a Roman, of Tusculum, brother of the
preceding, formerly consul, duke, senator:
installed pope in Aug. 1024; banished by the Romans;
restored by the emperor Conrade, died in 1033
149. Benedict IX. Theophylacte, of Tusculum, nephew of
the two preceding, installed in 1033; banished
and restored in 1038; banished again in 1044,
and restored in 1047; retired in 1048
150. Sylvester III. John, bishop of Sabine,
pope in 1044, 1045, 1046
151. Gregory VI. John Gratian, pope in 1044, 1045, 1046
Benedict IX. Sylvester III. and Gregory VI.
all three, popes at the same time,
were deposed by the emperor Henry III.
152. Clement II. Suidger, a Saxon (bishop of Bamberg)
installed pope the 35th Dec. 1046, died 9th Oct. 1047
Return of Benedict IX.
153. Damasius II. Poppon, bishop of Brixen, Installed pope
the 17th July, 1048, at the moment of the retiring
of Benedict, died 8th Aug. same year, 1048
154. St. Leo IX. Brunon, son of Hugues, count of Egesbeim
in Alsace, born in 1002, installed pope in Feb. 1049
died the 10th April 1054
The Greek schism is completed under this pontificate.
155. Victor II. Gebehard, son of Hardulg, count of Calw
in Swabia, installed the 13th April, 1055,
died, in Tuscany, the 29th July, 1057
156. Stephen IX. Frederick, son of Gothelon, duke of
Basse−Lorraine, installed the 3d Aug. died March 1058
157. Benedict X. John, bishop of Veletri, elected pope
30th March, 1058, resigned the 18th Jan. 1060
158. Nicholas II. Gerard, born in Burgundy, installed the
18th Jan. 1059, died the 21st or 22d July, 1061
Election of the popes by the cardinals.
Quarrel respecting investitures.
159. Alexander II. Anselm Badage, a Milanese, installed
the 30th Sept. 1061, died the 21st April, 1073
Cadaloo or Honorius II. antipope
160. Gregory VII. or Hildebrand, born near Soane in Tuscany,
elected pope the 22d April, 1073, died 25th May 1085
Quarrels with all the sovereigns.—Excommunication
and deposition of the Emperor Henry IV.
Donation of the Countess Matilda
Gaibert or Clement III. antipope.
Between Gregory VII. and Victor III. the
Holy See is vacant one year.
161. Victor III. Didier, sprang from the house of the dukes
of Capua, elected the 34th May, 1086, died Sept. 1087
162. Urban II. Otton or Odon, born at Rheims, bishop of
Ostia, elected pope 12th March, 1088, died 1099
Excommunication of Philip king of France.
First crusade in 1095.
Death of the antipope Guihert 1100.
TWELFTH CENTURY.
163. Pascal II. Rainier, born at Bleda, in the diocese of
Viterbo, elected pope the 13th Aug. 1099, died June 1118
Degradation of the emperor Henry IV.—
Quarrels’s of the pope with Henry V.
Albert, Theodoric, Maginulfe, antipopes
after Guibert.
164. Gelasius II. John of Gaôte, elected pope the 25th Jan.
1118, died at Cloni 29th Jan. 1119
Bourdin or Gregory VIII. antipope
165. Calixtus II. Gui, born at Quingey, of a count
of Burgundy, archbishop of Vienne,
elected pope the 1. Feb. 1119, died Dec. 1194
End of quarrel about investitures.
First council of the Lateran,
9th œcumenical, in 1123
166. Honorius II. Lambert, born at Fagnano, installed
the 21st of Dec. 1124, died 14th Feb. 1130
167. Innocent II. Gregorie of the house of the Papi,
elected 15th Feb. 1130, died the 24th Sept. 1143
Quarrells with the king of France, Louis
the Young, &c.
Peter of Leon, antipope under the name of
Anaclet, and after him, Gregory or Victor IV.
Second council of the Lateran, tenth
œcumenical, in 1139.
168. Celestine II. Gui, a Tuscan, elected 26th
Sept. 1143, died 9th March 1144
169. Lucius II. Gerard, born at Bologna, installed
the 12th March, 1144, died the 25th Feb. 1145
Arnauld of Brescia.
170. Eugenius III. Bernard, born at Pisa, elected
7th of Feb. 1145, died the 7th of July 1153
Crusade of 1147.
Decree of Gratian published in 1152.
171. Anastasius IV. Conrade, born at Rome, elected the
9th July 1153, died 2d December, 1154
172. Adrian IV. born at St. Albans in England, elected
3rd Dec. 1154, died 1st September 1159
Disputes with the emperor Frederick Barbarossa
173. Alexander III. Roland, of Sienna, of the house of
Bandinclli, elected 7th of Sept. died 30th of Aug. 1181
Octavian or Victor III. Pascal III. Ca−
lixtus III. and Innocent III. antipopes.
Lombard−league against Frederick Barba−
rossa.—Alexandria; Thomas a Becket
&c.—3rd Council of the Lateran, 11th
oecumenical, in 1179.
174. Lucius III. Ubalde, born at Lucca, elected the
1st September 1181, died the 24th Nov. 1185
175. Urbanlll. Hubert Crivelli, elected 25th of Nov. 1185,
died at Ferrara, 19th October. 1187
176. Gregory VIII. Albert, born at Beneventum, elected
20th Oct. 1187, died 17th December 1187
177. Clement III. Paul or Paulin Scolaro, born at Rome,
elected 19th December 1187, died 27th March, 1191
Crusade in 1189.
178. Celestine III. Hyacinth Bobocard, born in 1108,
elected pope 30th March 1191, died 8th of Jan. 1198
THIRTEENTH CENTURY.
179. Innocent III. Lothaire, of the house of the counts of
Segni, born in i 160, elected pope 8th Jan. 1198,
consecrated 23d Feb. following, died 16th July, 1216
Disputes with the Venetians, with the
king of France Philip Augustus, with
John king of England, with the emperor
Otho IV. &c.
Crusade of 1203; taking of Constantinople
by the crusaders.
Crusade against the Albigeoses; Inquisition;
Twelfth Council of Lateran, twelfth œcumenical,
in 1215.
180. Honorius III. Cencio Savelli, a Roman, elected at
Perugia, 18th July 1216, consecrated
24th of same month, died 18th March, 1227
181. Gregory IX. Ugolin, of the family of the counts
of Segni, a native of Anagni, bishop of Ostia,
elected and installed pope the 19th March,
1227, died when nearly one hundred years
old, 21st Aug. 1224
The emperor Frederick II. four times ex−
communicated.
Body of decretals compiled by Raymond
de Pennafort.
182. Celestine IV. Geoflrey de Castiglione, a noble
Milanese, a Cistertian monk, bishop of Sabine,
elected pope at the end of Oct. 1241, died Nov. 1241
Between Celestine IV. and Innocent IV.
the Holy See is vacant for 19 months.
183. Innocent IV. Sinibald de Fiesqne, a noble
Genoese, elected pope at Anagni, 25th
Jane, 1243, consecrated 29th of the same,
died at Naples, 7th Dec. 1254
Council of Lyons, 13th œcumenical, in 1245.
The emperor Frederick II. deposed:—
Conferences of Louis IX. and Innocent
at Clusi: Crusade against Conrade IV.
and Manfred the son of Frederick.
184. Alexander IV. Reinald, of the family of the
counts of Segni, bishop of Ostia, elected
pope the 12th Dec. 1254, died at Viterbo, 25th May, 1261
Excommunication of Manfred: Negociation with
Louis IX. and Charles of Anjou, respecting the
kingdom of Naples
185. Urban IV. Jacques−Pantaleon Court−Palais,
born at Troyes in Champagne, archdeacon
of Liege, bishop of Verdan, patriarch of Je−
rusalem, elected pope at Viterbo, 29th Aug.
1261, consecrated 4th Sept. following, died 2d Aug. 1264
186. Clement IV. Gui de Foulques, born at Saint−
Gilles−le−Rhone, bishop of Puy, archbi−
shop of Narbonne, cardinal, bishop of Sabine,
elected pope at Perguia, the 5th Feb. 1265,
crowned 26th of same month at Viterbo,
where he died the 29th Nov. 1268
Charles of Anjou called to the throne of
Naples: Death of Concradine the 28th
Oct. 1268: Pragmatic Sanction of Saint
Louis
The Holy See remains vacant from the
29th Nov. 1268 to the 1st Sept. 1271.
187. Gregory X. Thealde or Thibaud, of the family
of the Visconti of Placentia, canon of Lyons,
archbishop of Liege, elected pope 1st Sept.
1271 consecrated 27th Nov. of same year,
died at Arezzo, the 10th Jan. 1276
Coronation and excommunication of the
emperors Rhodolph of Hapsburg, &c.
Second Council of Lyons, 14th oœcumenical in 1274.
188. Innocent V. Peter de Tarantaise, a Dominican,
cardinal, bishop of Ostia, elected pope at
Arezzo, 21st Feb. 1276, crowned at Rome, 23d
of the same, died 22d June, 1276
189. Adrian V. Ottoboni, a Genoese, cardinal
deacon, elected pope 11th July, 1276, died 1276
190. John XXI. Pierre, a Portuguese, cardinal,
bishop of Tusculum, elected pope at Viterbo
13th Sept. 1276, crowned 20th of the same;
died 16th or 17th May, 1277
191. Nicholas III. John Gaétan, a Roman, of the
Orsini family, cardinal deacon, elected pope
at Viterbo, 25th Nov. 1277, after a vacancy
of six months, crowned at Rome 36th Dec.
the same year, died 22d Aug. 1280
192. Martin IV. Simon de Brion, cardinal priest,
elected pope at Viterbo, 22d Feb. 1281,
crowned at Orvicto, 23d March, same year,
died the 28th March, 1285
Sicilian vespers in 1282
193. Honorius IV. James Savelli, a noble Roman,
cardinal deacon, elected pope at Perugia,
2d April, 1285, consecrated at Rome, 4th of
May following, died 3d April, 1287
194. Nicholas IV. Jerome, a native of Ascoli,
brother minor, cardinal, bishop of Palestrina,
elected pope in 1288, died 4th April, 1292
Vacancy of two years.
195. St. Celestine V. Peter Mouron, a native of
Isernia in the kingdom of Naples, elected
pope at Perugia, 5th July 1294, consecrated
24th Aug. following, abdicated 13th Dec.
of the same year, and died 19th May, 1296
196. Boniface VIII. Cajatan, a native of Anagni,
cardinal legate, elected pope 24th December
1294, consecrated 2d January, 1295, died October 1303
Proscription of the family of Colonna.
Quarrels with the king of France, Philip
the Fair.
FOURTEENTH CENTURY.
197. Benedict XI. Nicholas Bocasin, of Treviso,
the son of a shepherd; ninth general of the
Dominicans, cardinal bishop of Ostia,
elected pope 22d Oct. 1303, and crowned the
37th, died at Perugia the 6th or 7th of July, 1304
A vacancy of eleven months
198. Clement V. Bertrand de Gotte, born at Villandran
in the diocese of Bourdeaux, bishop
of Comminges, elected pope at Perngia the
5th of June, 1305, crowned at Lyons the
14th Nov. of same year, died at Roquemaur
near Avignon, the 20th April, 1314
The Holy See transferred to Avignon,
suppression of the Templars.—Excommunication
of the Venetians.—Clementines,
Council of Vienna, 15th œcumenical, in
1311.
From Clement V. to John XXII. an in−
terregnum of two years.
199. John XX, James d’Euse, born at Cahors,
cardinal, bishop of Porto, elected pope at
Lyons the 7th of Aug. 1316, died 4th Dec. 1334
Excommunication of the emperor Louis of
Bavaria.
Peter de Corbieres, a Franciscan, anti−
pope under the name of Nicholas V.
Treasures of John XXII.—His 4 extravagants.
200. Benedict XII. James Fournier, born at Laver−
dun, in the county of Foix, cardinal,
elected pope 20th Dec. 1334, crowned at
Avignon 8th January 1335, died 25th Apr. 1342
Pragmatic Sanction of the Germans
201. Clement VI. Peter Roger, born in the diocese
of Limoges, a monk of the Chaiae—Dieu,
archbishop of Rouen, cardinal, elected pope
7th May, 1342 and crowned the 19th,
died at Villeneuve, near Avignon, 6th Dec. 1352
Anathemas against Louis of Bavaria.—
Joan II. queen of Naples, sells Avignon
to the pope, &c.
202. Innocent VI. Stephen d’Albert, born in the
diocese of Limoges, bishop of Noyou, in
Clermont, cardinal, bishop of Ostia, elected
pope, 18th Dec. 1352, and crowned the 30th
died at Avignon the 12th Sept. 1362
Cessions of the emperor Charles IV. and
beginning of the sovereignty of
the popes in 1355.
203. Urban V. William, son of Orimond, lord of
Grisac in Gevaudan, a Benedictine, elect−
ed pope in Sept. 1362, and crowned the 6th
of November, died 19th December, 1570
He was compelled to return from Rome
to Avignon
204. Gregory XI. Peter Roger, born in the diocese
of Limoges, nephew of Clement VI. cardi−
nal, elected pope the 30th Dec. 1370,
crowned the 5th Jan. 1371, died at
Rome the 27th March, 1378
After the death of Gregory XI. in 1278,
the schism of Avignon; and, of the West.
205. Urban VI. Bartholomew Piegnano, a Neapo−
litan, elected pope at Rome the 9th of April
1378, crowned the 18th, died the 18th Oct. 1389
206. Clement VII. Robert, of the house of the
counts of Geneva, canon of Paris, bishop
of Therouane and Cambray, cardinal legate,
elected pope at Fondi the 21st Sept. 1358,
acknowledged in France, England, died 16th Sept. 1394
207. Boniface IX. Peter or Perrin Tomacelli,
called the cardinal of Naples, elected by
fourteen cardinals the 2d Nov. 1289, to suc−
ceed Urban VI.; died 1404
208. Benedict XIII. Peter de Lune, a Spaniard,
born in 1325, cardinal deacon, elected the
28th Sept. 1394, to succeed Clement VII.
died at Rimini the 18th Oct. 1417
France withdrew from obedience to
either pontiff
FIFTEENTH CENTURY.
209. Innocent VII. Cosma de Megliorati, born at
Sulmone, cardinal, elected the 17th October,
1404, to succeed Boniface IX. crowned in
November the same year, died 6th of Nov. 1406
210. Gregory XII. Ange Corrario, Venetian, car−
dinal, elected the 30th Nov. 1406, to suc−
ceed Innocent VII. ; abdicated the 4th
July 1415, died at the age of ninety−
two the 18th Oct. at Rimini, 1417
Council of Pisa in 1409; it deposes Gre−
gory XII. and Benedict XIII.; it elects
Alexander V.
211. Alexander V. Peter Philarge, born in the Isle
of Candia, bishop of Vicenza and Novara,
archbishop of Milan, cardinal, elected pope,
in the Council of Pisa, the 26th June, 1409,
crowned 7th July, the same year,
died at Bologna, May, 1410
212. John XXIII. Balthasar. Cossa, bora at Naples,
of a noble family, cardinal deacon,
elected at Bologna by sixteen cardinals, the
17th May; 1410, to succeed Alexander V.
is deposed by the Council of Constance,
29th May, 1415, died 22d of Nov. 1419
Council of Constance, from the 5th Nov.
1414, to the 22d April, 1418; 16th œcu−
menical
213. Martin V. Otho Colonna, a Roman, cardinal
deacon, elected pope at the Council of Con−
stance, the 11th Nov. 1417, crowned the
2l3th: he entered Rome the 22d Sept. 1420,
died the 21st Feb. 1431
214. Clement VIII. Gilles de Mugnos, canon of Bar−
celona, elected by two cardinals in 1424, to
succeed Benedict XIII. or Peter de Lune,
abdicates the 26th July, 1429
216. Eugene IV. Gabriel Condolmere, a Venetian,
cardinal, bishop of Sienna, elected in the
month of March 1431, to succeed Martin V.
crowned the 11th of the same month;
declares for the Orsini against the Colon−
lias; is deposed by the Council of Basle,
22d of June, 1439, died the 23d of Feb. 1440
Council of Basle, from the 23d of July,
1431, to the month of May 1043, the 17th
œcumenical Council of Florence, from the 26th Feb.
1439, to the 26th April, 1442, 18th œcu−
menical
Pragmatic Sanction of Charles VIII. in
1439
216. Felix V. Amadeus VIII. duke of Savoy, elected
pope by the Council of Basle, the 6th of Nov.
1439, crowned the 24th of July, 1440,
renounced the pontificate the 9th April, 1449
217. Nicholas V. Thomas de Sarzane, a Tuscan,
cardinal, bishop of Bologna, elected 6th
Nov. 1447, to succeed Eugene IV. and
crowned pope the 18th of the same month,
died the 24th March, 1455
End of the schism in the West in 1449.
Taking of Constantinople by the Turks
in 1453
218. Calixtus, III. Alphonso Borgia, born in 1377
at Valencia in Spain, cardinal, archbishop
of Valencia, elected pope the 8th April,
1455, and crowned the 20th, died 8th Aug. 1458
219. Plus II. Piccolomini, born in 1405 near Sienna,
an author under the name of Eneae Sylvias,
cardinal, bishop of. Sienna, elected pope in 1468,
died at Ancona, in July, 1464
Bull ‘Execrabiiis.’—Abrogation of the
Pragmatic of Louis XI.—Letter of Pius II.
to Mahomet II.
220. Paul II. Peter Barbo, born at Venice in 1417,
cardinal of St. Mark, elected pope the 31st
Aug. 1464, crowned the 16th of Sept. the
same year, died the 28th July, 1471
221. Sixtes IV. Francisco d’Albeacola de la Rovere,
born in 1413 at Celles near Savona, a
Franciscan, cardinal, elected pope 9th Aug.
1471; died the 13th Aug. 1484
Conspiracy of the Pazzi against the Me−
dici at Florence in 1478
222. Innocent VIII. John Baptist Cibo, a noble
Genoese, of Greek extraction, born in 1432,
cardinal, elected pope the 29th Aug. 1484,
crowned 12th Sept. same year,
died the 26th July, 1492
222. Alexander VI. Rodrigo Borgia, born at Valencia
in Spain in 1431, cardinal, archbishop
of Valencia, elected pope llth Aug. 1492,
crowned the 26th: died the 18th Aug. 1503
He betrayed Charles VIII. Louis XII.
SIXTEENTH CENTURY.
224. Pius III. Peter Piccolomini, nephew of Pius
II. cardinal of Sienna, elected pope the 22d
Sept. 1603, crowned the 8th Oct. same year,
died the 18th of same month. 1503
225. Julius II. Julian de la Rovere, born in 1441
near Savona, nephew of Sixtus IV. bishop
of Carpentras, Albano, Ostia, Bologna, and
Avignon, cardinal, elected pope 1st of Nov.
1503, and crowned the 19th, died the 21st Feb. 1513
League of Cambray.—Louis XII. excommunicated &c.
Fifth Council of the Lateran, 19th œcumenical,
in 1512, 1517.
226. Leo X. John de Medicis, son of Lorenzo,
born at Florence in 1447, cardinal deacon,
elected pope the 11th of March 1513, died 1st Dec. 1521
Excommunication of Luther.—Concordat
with Francis the I. in 1516
227. Adrian VI. Adrian Florent, born in 1459,
cardinal, bishop of Tortosa, elected pope
the 9th of January, 1522 died Sept. 1523
228. Clement VII., natural and posthumous son of Julian
de Medicis, born at Florence in
1478, archbishop of Florence, cardinal, elected
pope 19th Nov. 1523, and crowned the 25th; died Sept 1534
Holy league against Charles V.—Excommunication
of the king of England, Henry VIII.
229. Paul III. Alexander Famese, born at Rome
in 1466, bishop of Ostia, dean of the sacred
college, elected pope the 13th Octo. 1534,
crowned the 7th of Nov. died 10th Nov. 1549
Bull “In cœna Domini,”
Council of Trent, from 1545 to 4th Dec.
1563, and last œcumenical.
230. Julius III. John Maria del Monte, born at
Rome, the 10th Sept. 1487, bishop of Pales−
trina, archbishop of Siponte, cardinal, elected
pope the 8th of February 1550, and crowned
the 20th; died the 23rd of March, 1555
Excommunication of the king of France,
Henry II.
231. Marcellus II. Marcel Servin, born at Monte
Pulciano, cardinal, elected pope 9th of April,
crowned the 26th, and died the 30th same month 1555
232. Paul IV. John Peter Caraffa, a noble Venetian,
born in 1476, cardinal, elected pope
25th May 1555, crowned the 26th; died 18th Aug. 1559
The enemy of Spain.—Excommunication
of Elizabeth, Queen of England
233. Pius IV. John Angelo de Medicis, born at
Milan in 1499, cardinal, elected pope the
26th Dec. 1559, and crowned the 6th of Jan.
1550; died the 9th Dec. 1565
Proscribes the nephews of his predecessors
234. Pius V. Michael Ghisleri, a Ligurian, born the
17th Jan. 1504, a Dominican, cardinal, elect−
ed pope the 7th Jan. 1556, and crowned the
17th ; died the 1st of May, 1572
Canonized by Clement XI. in 1712
Pius renews the bull: “In cœna Domini.”
He bestows on Cosmo de Medecis the title
of Grand Duke of Tuscany
235. Gregory XIII. Hugues Buon−Compagno,
born at Bologna in 1502, bishop of Vesti,
cardinal, elected pope 13th of May 1572,
and crowned the 25th; died 10th of April, 1585
Massacre of St. Bartholomew’s−day the
24th of Aug. 1572.—The league
236. Sixtus V. Felix Peretti, born at Montalto,
in the Marche of Ancona, the 12th Dec.
1521, a herdsman, Cordelier, bishop of St.
Agatha, cardinal, elected pope the 24th of
April, 1585, died 27th Aug. 1590
Anathemas against Elizabeth, against
Henry IV. king of Navarre, &c.—Henry
III. assassinated by James Clement.—
The power of Philip II. king of Spain,
detestable to Sixtus Quintus
237. Urban VII. John Baptist Castagna, born at
Rome in 1521, son of a Genoese gentleman,
archbishop of Rossano, cardinal, elected
pope the 15th Sept. 1520, died the 27th of Sept. 1590
238. Gregory XIV. Nicholas Sfondrate, born at
Cremona in 1535, bishop of Cremona, cardinal,
elected pope the 3rd Dec. 1590, and
crowned the 8th; died the 15th October 1591
239. Innocent IX. John Anthony Facchinetti, born
at Bologna in 1519, bishop of Nicastro in
Calabria, elected pope the 29th Oct. 1591,
crowned the 3rd Nov. died the 30th Dec. 1591
240. Clement VIII. Hippolytus Aldobrandiri, born
at Fano in 1536, cardinal, elected pope
the 30th of Jan. 1593, crowned eight days
after, died in the month of March 1605
Abjuration and absolution of Henry IV.
Pithou’s Treatise on the Liberties of the
Gallican Church, published in 1594
SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.
241. Leo XI. Alexander Octavian de Medicis,
born at Florence in 1535, cardinal, elected
pope 1st of April, and died 27th of April, 1605
242. Paul V. Camillus Borghese, born at Rome,
cardinal, elected pope 16th May 1605, and
crowned the 29th, died 28th January 1621
Excommunication of the Venetians.—
Troubles excited in England.—Bull “In
Cœna Domini,” &c.
243. Gregory XV. Alexander Ludovisi, born 9th
Jan. 1554 at Bologna, archbishop of this
city, cardinal, elected pope 9th Feb. 1621, died 1623
244. Urban VIII. Maffeus Barberini, of an ancient
Florentine family, archbishop of Nazareth,
cardinal, elected pope 6th Aug. 1623, and
crowned the 29th Sept. died 29th July, 1644
Excommunication of the Duke of Parma
245. Innocent X. J. B. Pamphili, born at Rome
7th May 1574, cardinal in 1629, elected
pope 15th Sept 1644, and crowned 29th, died 7th Jan. 1655
Destruction of Castro.—Refusal of bulls
to the Portuguese bishops nominated by
John of Braganza.—The Duke of Guise
invited to Naples and betrayed.—Bull
against the Peace of Munster
246. Alexander VII. Fabio Chigi, born at Sienna,
the 15th of Feb. 1599, legate, nuncio,
cardinal in 1652, elected pope the
7th of April, 1655, died the 22d of May 1667
Formulary.—The embassador of Louis
XIV. insulted at Rome, See.
247. Clement IX. Julius Rospigliosi, born at Pistoi in 1600
cardinal in 1657, elected pope the 20th June, 1667
died the 9th Dec. 1669
248 Clement X. J. B. Emile Altieri, born at Rome
in 1590, cardinal in 1669, elected pope the
27th April, 1670, died the 22d July, 1676
249. Innocent XI. Benedict Odescalchi, born at
Como in 1611, cardinal in 1647, elected
pope the 21st Sept. 1676, died 12th Aug. 1689
The Four Articles of 1682
250. Alexander VIII. Peter Ottoboni, born at Venice
the 19th April 1610, bishop of Brescia,
of Frescati, a cardinal in 1652, elected
pope the 6th October 1689, died the 1st of Feb. 1691
251. Innocent XII. Anthony Pignatelli, born at
Naples the 13th March 1615, archbishop
of Naples, cardinal, elected pope the 13th
July 1691, and crowned the 15th of the
same, died the 27th Sept. 1700
Refusal of bulls of Investiture
EIGHTEENTH CENTURY
252. Clement XI. John Francis Albani, born at
Pesaro the 22d July 1649, cardinal in 1690,
elected pope the 23d November 1700, and
consecrated the 30th, died the 19th March, 1721
Bull ‘Vineam Domini’ in 1705.—Bull
‘Unigenitus’ in 1713.—Quarrels with Vic−
tor Amadeus, king of Sicily
253. Innocent XIII. Michael Angelo Conti, Segni,
born at Rome the 15th May 1655, bishop
of Viterbo, cardinal in 1707, elected pope
the 8th May 1721, and crowned the 18th;
died the 7th Mar. 1724
254. Benedict XIII. Peter Francis Orsini, born
the 2d Feb. 1649, a Dominican, cardinal,
archbishop of Beneventum, elected pope
the 29th May, 1724, and crowned the 4th
June; died the 21st Feb. 1730
Legend of Gregory VII.
255. Clement XII. Lorenzo Corsini, born at Rome
the 7th April, cardinal in 1706, bishop
of Frescati, elected pope the 12th July,
1780, and crowned the 16th, died 6th Feb. 1740
256. Benedict XIV. Prosper Lambertini, born at
Bologna, the 81st March 1675, cardinal in
1728, archbishop of Bologna, elected pope
the 17th Aug. 1740, died the 3d of May, 1758
Esteemed by all Europe
257. Clement XIII. Charles Rezzonico, a noble
Venetian, born the 7th of March 1693, cardinal
in 1737, bishop of Padua, elected
pope the 6th July 1758, and crowned the
16th; died the 2d February, 1769
Affair of Malagrida in Portugal.—Quarrels
with the Duke of Parma
258. Clement XIV. Vincent Antoine Ganganelli,
born the 31st October 1705, at St. Archangelo
near Ripaini, Cordelier, cardinal in
1765, elected pope the 19th May, 1769,
crowned the 4th of June, of same year,
died the 22d Sept. 1774
Abrogation of the bull ‘In cœna Domini.’
—Suppression of the Jesuits
259. Pius VI. John Angelo Braschi, born at Cesena
the 27th Dec. 1717, cardinal in 1773,
elected pope the 15th Feb. 1775, crowned
the 22d of the same month, died 29th Aug. 1799
N.B. In the above Chronological Table of thee Popes, the names of Clement VII. Benedict XIII. Clement VIII. and Felix V. be found twice: the latter however are considered as the true successors of St. Peter; this distinction is refused, or but partially allowed, to the first Clement VII. to Peter de Lune, to Gilles de Jugnos, and to Amadeus Duke of Savoy.
END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.
ENDNOTES AND