Council of Vienna

The Council of Vienna , convened by the pope Clement V, meets between October 1311 and May 1312 to discuss the future of the Ordre of the Temple.

Context

All begins the October 13rd 1307 when the king of France Philippe Beautiful the makes stop at the time of a vast haul all the Templiers of the kingdom. At the time of the first interrogations, they acknowledge under the Torture all that one wants to do to them to acknowledge: disavowal of the Christ, spittle on the cross, idolatry, sodomy. All that is done without referring about it to the Pape on which they depend. Clement V, surprised by the arrests but shaken by the consents, issues the bubble Pastoralis præminentiæ which orders the arrest of all Templiers of the Chrétienté.

Only the pope has the capacity to decide on their fate. By the bubble Faciens misericordiam of the August 12th 1308, it creates commissions diocésaines, charged to inquire into the intrigues of Templiers, and the pontifical commissions, charged to judge the Order of the Temple as tel. These last will deliver their reports/ratios at the time of an ecumenical council convened to Vienna in 1310, which will discuss its fate.

Course of the council

It is finally only in October 1311 that the council of Vienna , chaired by Clément V, begins his work. 300 bishops come from all Christendom take part in it. The conclusions of the pontifical commissions differ however from what wishes the king and his government: the Order of the Temple must be reformed and not abolished. Several bishops are not convinced of the culpability of Templiers and lean in the same direction. They would like to intend them to be defended. Not wanting to be opposed to the king openly, Clément V will delay payment during several months.

In spring 1312, the members of the council learn that Philippe Beautiful the is with Lyon with its army. Taking fear, they then accept all that the pope issues. By the bubble Vox in excelso of the March 22nd 1312, this one removes purely and simply the Temple, although he does not condemn it. The bubble AD providam of the May 2nd issues that the goods of the Temple will pass to the hands Hospitaliers. Lastly, a third bubble, dated from the May 6th, announces that the pope will undertake the judgment of the dignitaries of the Order.

The council of Vienna takes officially fine the May 11th 1312.

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