The Papacy

The Papacy

During the Age of Growth (1050-1300), the papacy experienced its most expansive period, which could be traced back to Leo IX. Alliance with the Normans, bitterness with the Greeks, the reformation of the papacy, and the increased correspondence are the foundations that Leo IX laid down for the dominance of the papacy. It was his desire to restore the papacy to the controlling role in the church that it once had. Leo and his papacy men looked to past greatness, which was destroyed by the Germans, and looked at the Donation of Constantine as a guideline to judge its greatness by. The reason why the document is cherished is because it signalled the first time a Christian emperor resigned his power and position to the pope, and recognized his religious supremacy throughout all the lands. This was very important for the papal men because it signalled the dominance of the pope everywhere, even over the emperor. The pope was subject to nobody except for God.

The problem is that by the eleventh century, the book had become largely outdated and unrecognized, and could be seen as too imperialist. The new papacy was distinct because everyone who was involved was a lawyer, and their concerns were with the enforcement of law. Ancient law in Europe had withered away, and by the 12th century papal law was increased by the rise of papal lawyers. Due to this, the papal-lawyers thought that no document of secular origin should be quotes as authoritative. Gregory VII was a controversial man who wanted to restore complete papal sovereignty in all affairs of the Christian community, and some of his rules laid out declared “the pope can be judged by no one” and “the Roman church has never erred and will never err till the end of time”. Prior to Gregory VII, popes hailed themselves as the “Vicar of St. Peter”, but under his rule, they changed their title to “Vicar of Christ”. This was done to make their claims to universal sovereignty, and that they were no longer looking backwards to ancient traditions, but were moving forward.

Southern argues that the theory of papal supremacy is among the best developed systems ever devised among human life. From 1050 the papal activity began to grow, and quickly took off after 1130. Papal Benefits are one way that legitimized and expanded papal authority. The pope would bestow honours, privileges, and exemptions on people who would support him and expand his power. This could win him support as much as it could intimidate his enemies. Throughout this, the jurisdictional supremacy of the Pope was heightened greatly, and they granted the most extensive privileges to the papacy. Aside from benefits, Papal Justice was emerged as a dominant force in everyday life, and his orders could be carried out two thousand miles from Rome. Their justice dealt with all the areas of Christian life from baptism to masses for the dead, and it also dealt with all issues for clerical life such as education and dealing with crimes and punishments. Southern describes this as the “Golden age of government, and especially of papal government”. Like any other government, the papacy could engage in war, collect taxes, and deal with legal work. Gregory VII’s dream of papal supremacy had indeed come true.

While excommunication was really the only weapon the pope possessed, which really did not demand unanimous obedience. However, during the 11th and 12th centuries, the success in the papacy was due to the support of religious communities who found the papacy was best for their own interests, and they received numerous incentives by the pope. The ecclesiastical hierarchy was won over by the papacy, and because of this, its power was legitimate. Nobody dared to question the pope, and nobody dared to deny that he had the rights over all local, religious, and secular aspects of life.

Jordan Crosby