Boniface IX

See also: Boniface

Boniface ( Pietro Tomacelli ), noble Neapolitan born towards 1355 pope, elected the November 2nd 1389, devoted on November 9th with Rome, deceased on October 1st 1404 with Rome. During its reign, the antipapes Clement VII and Benoît XIII continued to hold a papal court with Avignon under the protection of the French monarchy.

Pietro Tomacelli came from a former but impoverished baroniale family of Naples. A hostile contemporary Germanic source, Dietrich de Nieheim, ensured that it was illiterate. In the absence of being a theologist trained or skilful in the relations with the Curie, it knew to be full with tact and careful during one difficult period. The Germany, the England, the Hungary, the Poland and most of the Italy accepted it like pope. The day before its election, the antipape Clément VII crowned a French prince, Louis II of Anjou, king de Naples.

Boniface IX soutenut him its rival, the young person Ladislas Ier of Naples. This last was the heir to right of Charles III of Naples (assassinated in 1386) and of Margaret de Durazzo, downward of a family which had traditionally supported the popes in their Roman quarrels against the anti-imperial party of the city itself. Boniface IX made crown Ladislas king de Naples with Gaeta on May 29th 1390 and worked with him with the expulsion of the forces angevines of the south of Italy.

During its reign, Boniface IX finally succeeds in removing the independence of the Commune of Rome and there establishing its temporal power, although, to reach that point, it not only had to strengthen the Château Saint-Angel, but also all the bridges and was obliged to reside during many years at Assise or Perugia. It also took carries it Ostie to its Cardinal bishop. It also gradually took again control on the castles and the cities of the Papal States and gave them the form which they will have during the 15th century.

Clement VII died in Avignon on September 16th 1394, but the French cardinals élirent a successor quickly: the cardinal Pedro de Luna, who took the name of antipape Benoît XIII. During the few years which followed, Boniface IX was thorough to abdicate, even by its more prochaes allied: the king Richard II of England, the Diet of Frankfurt in 1397 and the emperor Venceslas Ier. He refused, just like he refused the behavior of an ecumenical council which was however regarded as the only means of putting an end to the Great Schism.

Two Holy years were celebrated in Rome during the reign of Boniface IX. The first, in 1390, had been decided by its predecessor, the pope Urbain VI, and knew a strong surge of pilgrims German, Hungarian, Polish, bohêmiens and English. Several German cities obtained the privileges of the Holy year, as were named the Indulgences. The Holy year of 1400 again caused a strong surge of pilgrims in Rome, in particular of France, while at the same time it reigned there an epidemic of disastrous Peste. The pope remained in the city.

During the second part of the year 1399, a new movement of Whipping, the penitent white, developed in Provence, less than one century after the extermination of the Albigensian, and was spread in Spain and in the north of Italy. That pointed out the massive processions of whipping time of the Black Death, in 1348 and 1349. They went in processions of city downtown, equipped in white, carrying a Red Cross in their backs and following as a leader who carried a large cross. The rumors of the imminence of the last Judgment and testimonys of visions of the Virgin Mary abounded. They sang the anthem Stabat MATER , which was popular recently. Boniface IX and the curia soutenirent a time this movement when it approached Rome, but when it arrived there, Boniface IX made hang their chief and whipping them dispersed quickly.

In England, the anti-papal sermons of John Wyclif helped the opposition of the king and the high clergy to the practice of Boniface IX to allot English benefit, when they became vacant, to its favorites to the Curia. The pope had indeed introduced a new form of income, the first fruit perpetuæ , which allotted to the pope half of the income garnered at the time of the first year of any benefit allotted within the curia. In order to be opposed to this practice, the English Parliament confirmed and extended the rights of the king, giving him a right to veto on its nominations in England. Boniface IX had to yield vis-a-vis the English unit and to satisfy the requirements of the king.

In 1398 and 1399, Boniface IX invited Christian Europe to support the Byzantine Emperor Michel II Paleologist, threatened with Constantinople by the sultan Bayezid I. Enthusiasm for a new crusade was very restricted.

In Germany, the Prince-Voters met in Rhense on August 20th 1400 to deposit Venceslas Ier and chose in his place Robert Ier of the Holy roman Empire, duke of Bavaria and Count Palatine of the Rhine. In 1403, Boniface IX approved the deposit of Venceslas and recognized Robert.

Let us note in addition that Boniface IX canonized Brigitte of Sweden in 1391, that it founded the universities of Ferrare the same year and of Fermo in 1398. In 1392, it also confirmed that of Erfurt, in Germany. He died in 1404 after a short disease.

Sources

Random links: