Adrien IV

Nicolas Breakspear , born with Abbots Langley (Hertfordshire) towards 1100, pope under the name of Adrien IV of 1154 with 1159 - “ Of rure albo ” in the Prophecy of Saint Malachie. It is the only pope of English origin .

Biography

Wire of an English clerk, it is high with the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Albans, close to London. The abbot having refused the access to the noviciate to him, it goes to France to continue his studies. He ends up taking the dress in the regular canons of Saint-Ruf, close to Avignon. He becomes about it Prieur and in 1140, he is elected abbot.

Legate

In 1145, Nicolas joined the pontifical court. Before 1150, Eugene III the cardinal fact of Albano, and sends it like legate in Scandinavia. In 1153, Nicolas promulgates a series of constitutions which fix the framework of the Church of Norway. He organizes it on a Roman model: the same year, it constitutes the ecclesiastical province of Norway, with Nidaros (current Trondheim) like metropolis. In Sweden, he convenes the synod of Linköping to set up the ecclesiastical institutions. However, the Swedes do not agree on the choice of the seat archiépiscopal - this one will be given only in 1164: it will be Uppsala. In the interval, Nicolas is satisfied to promise the primatie with the Danish archbishop of Lund. Nicolas returns to Rome in November 1154.

Pope

With died of Anastase IV, Nicolas is elected pope. He is crowned on December 5th with the Basilique Saint-Pierre and takes the name of Adrien IV, perhaps in remembering his compatriot, holy Adrien of Canterbury. At once elected, Adrien must take again in hand the town of Rome, shaken by subversive preachings. Breaking with the half-measures of its predecessor, it launches the prohibited on the city. The suspension of the Pilgrimage S, and thus of the money flows brought by the pilgrims, ends up putting the City at the step: the preacher Arnaud de Brescia is expelled.

On the temporal level, it must face the Normands of Sicily: when Roger II dies in 1154, his/her son Guillaume the Bad seizes the crown, without the downstream of the pope, and invades the Bénévent and the Campanie. Against him, Adrien IV hopes for the support of the Germany. Unfortunately for him, the king Frederic Barberousse, in spite of the recent renewal of the treated Constancy, lance a campaign in Italy of North, occupying with the passage part of the Papal States. A reconciliation intervenes: Barberousse makes carry out Arnaud de Brescia and on June 18th, 1155, it is crowned by the pope emperor of the Holy roman Empire. However, during the mass, Adrien decides itself to modify the ritual for marking its superiority well on the emperor. Furious, the German troops miss imprisoning the pope. Very quickly, the conflict between pope and emperor begin again and Barberousse finally decides not to attack the Norman ones of Sicily.

However it is precisely the moment when barons adversaries of Guillaume the Bad one raise themselves against him. Supported by the Byzantine Empire, they also call upon the pope. To their request, Adrien IV goes to Bénévent. Mow, spring 1156, to Guillaume manages to push back the Byzantines and to demolish the rebels. It besieges Bénévent, where still Adrien and some of its cardinals are. Constrained to negotiate, Adrien IV must recognize in Guillaume the crown of Sicily and accept the creation of a unified State including/understanding Sicily, Apulie or the Campania. In compensation, Adrien IV obtains the right of free nomination of the bishops in these areas.

German side, the relations remain tended. In 1157, Adrien must dispatch two cardinals in Germany, to furnish proof to Barberousse the treaty of Bénévent concluded with the Norman ones. A “error” of translation of the German chancellor causes the anger of the German princes: Adrien IV would regard the Empire as a “stronghold” ( beneficium ) of papacy. The legates are expelled at once. Adrien IV must explain the following year which he had wanted to speak about a “benefit”, and not of a stronghold. The relations calm down, at least seemingly. Since 1159, Barberousse launches a new campaign to Italy of North. The organization which it sets up is far from meeting the approval of the pope. The dissension envenime and at the semi-year, Adrien even threatens to excommunicate the emperor. The death of Adrien September puts an end to the crisis.

The body of Adrien IV rests with the Basilique Saint-Pierre.

The donation of Adrien

One allots to Adrien IV the bubble Laudabiliter which authorizes Henri II of England to invade the Ireland. A passage of the Metalogicus of Jean de Salisbury confirms the donation, that Adrien IV would have based on the Donation of Constantin. However, the authenticity of Laudabiliter is strongly disputed.

Sources

The independent sources on the life of Adrien IV are the Vie of Adrien of the cardinal Boso and the relation of Jean de Salisbury in his Historia pontificalis . Guillaume de Newburgh also evokes the passage of Adrien IV with the monastery of Saint-Ruf.

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