Essays

Sam Lorenzo
Period C
5/2/12
The Avignon Papacy.
The Avignon Papacy was started by Pope Clement V in the year 1309. This is when he moved the papal headquarters to the south of France, to the town of Avignon. He appointed all new cardinals and changed several church policies to accommodate the French kings liking. Clements alternate decided to make Avignon his papacys permanent metropolis by moving on that point all the officials needed to top the church government. In all, seven French popes lived at Avignon from 1309 to 1377, and by and large they were cooperative servants of the French king. Furthermore, the popes of the period established a luxurious, corrupt papal court. Such a show of wealthiness and vice scandalized many Christians across Europe. Some even interpret the devastating plague as a sign of beau ideals displeasure with the papacy.
Besides being concerned some this lavish, corrupt lifestyle of the Avignon pope, Christians in Europe, especially outside of France, had different reasons to believe that the pope should be in capital of Italy. For one, in the proto(prenominal) church Peter had been bishop of Rome, and it was fitting that his successor should live there too. Also, during the Hundred Years War between England and France, it seemed politically inexpedient and morally unjust to have the pope allied with the French Cause.



The situation was aggravated by the fact that the Avignon popes asked the dioceses for increased taxes, as well as donations for indulgences and for spiritual services. Living away from the papal States, the popes could not collect the usual revenues from the territory.
The memory of Roman popes stayed alive, and the trend for the return to Rome increased. Gregory XI, the seventh Avignon pope, had been thinking about Rome for five years or more when, in 1376, an unforeseen visitor came to see him. She was Catherine of Siena, a thirty year hoary member of a Dominican lay smart set. She wrote letters to the pope trying to convince him to move back to Rome. Not colossal after the papacy...If you want to get a full essay, order it on our website: Orderessay



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