THE P RTAL
September 2014
Page 7
The Popes
and the Ordinariate
Harry Schnitker continues his series about the Papacy
In this
series, we have reached the reign of, arguably, the most successful medieval English King,
Edward I (1272-1307). The dates of his reign mask his much longer involvement with national and
international politics. Aged 35 upon his accession to the throne, he had already won the civil war with the
barons during his father’s reign, had been on Crusade with King Louis IX of France, and had ruled over the
remaining English crown lands in France, the Duchy of Gascony.
Edward would change both the political constellation
of the British Isles and the relationship between the
monarchy and the papacy. The former story is wellknown. In 1277, he began his long drawn out conquest
of what remained of independent Wales, culminating
in victory in 1282 and crowned by the massive stone
castles that still line the coast of North Wales. He fought
a short but very expensive war with France, between
1294 and 1297, to retain control over Gascony, and
succeeded in his aims.
an English nation-state
principium, written by his Augustinian mentor,
Finally, and most famously, there was Edward’s Aegidius Romanus. This stated that the king was
attempt to conquer Scotland, begun in 1296 and superior in his realm, not subject to the law, ruling
ultimately ending in failure in 1314, after he had died. for the common good. With some parliamentary
Edward, effectively, had laid the foundations of much modifications, Edward I agreed.
that we recognise today. The rise of an English nationBoth kings required vast amounts of money for their
state, forged by the crown, was mirrored across the
Channel in France. Philip IV (the Fair) had ascended expansionist drive, and the papacy stood in their way.
the throne in 1276 and had begun to lay the foundations By 1300, Edward no longer paid the 1,000 marks that
of a more centralised rule. He imposed royal control had acknowledged Papal suzerainty over England
over the south of France and briefly managed to evict since 1213. Worse, in France, Philip was preparing
to move on the Church, supported by the French
his English colleague from Gascony.
clergy. In 1302, Boniface replied with the Bull, Unum
disastrous consequences for the Papacy sanctum, which stated that the papacy was superior to
The rise of royal power, a precursor to the rise of the worldly powers. It was a fatal mistake. The ruthless
the nation state, had disastrous consequences for Philip had the Pope arrested and Boniface died soon
the Papacy, and completely altered the relationship after. Papal power in medieval Europe was broken.
between England and the Vicar of Christ. Into the
volatile mix of English and French royal prima donnas the turning of the tide
was thrown the inflammable figure of Pope Boniface
In England, Archbishop Robert Winchelsey had
VIII (1295-1303). Boniface was determined to return tried to protect the Church’s position and had proven
the papacy to its political glory days.
remarkably successful in opposing Edward. However,
the arrival of the first Avignon Pope, Clement V,
He insisted upon the strict adherence of monarchs to ensured that the Archbishop was removed by the
the ruling of the Fourth Lateran Council of 1215, which papacy, now a tool of French interest. Winchelsey
had forbidden the taxation of the clergy. To Boniface, was to return upon Edward’s death, and became an
it was a matter of preserving the independence of the outspoken opponent of the dissolute Edward II, but
clerical estate. To the monarchs of Europe, it was a his death in 1313 robbed the English Church of an
challenge to their authority. It was Philip of France independent voice for some time to come. The tide
who took the lead, guided by the book, De regimine had turned.
contents page