On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
Hildebrand
After two full days in Aachen, I strolled down to the Aachen Hauptbahnhof, and boarded the train that would first take me to Paris, and then on to Avignon in the south of France. I do love traveling by train throughout the UK and Europe, it is a joy; a time to meet fellow travelers, a time for admiring the views, a time for reading and relaxation, a time to soak in the richness of people and culture and language.
The papacy moved from Rome to Avignon in 1309 and would remain until 1377. This earthshaking development didn’t fall out of the sky, it was the culmination of the desire of the French kings to get tighter control over the papacy and its sprawling authorities – both spiritual and temporal. The medieval papacy had developed a robust expression of power and authority from the 11th century and the revolutionary papacy of Gregory VII (1073-1085), when for the first time a pope not only excommunicated but deposed a king (Henry IV of Germany), to the papacy of Innocent III (1198-1216), who, for all intents and purposes served as both the spiritual and temporal head of a good chunk of western Europe.
King Philip IV – aka Philip the Fair (for his good looks), aka the Iron King (for his less than diplomatic and flexible style of governance – ascended to the French throne in 1485, he was also king of Navarre (through his wife Joan), and Count of Champagne. He was rather tired of the power exerted by the higher clergy in his lands, so he set to work trying to bend the church into something more to his liking. This, of course, did not sit well with the papacy, and a row erupted between Philip and Pope Boniface VIII (1294-1303). Boniface was a piece of work, a man who firmly believed that he could surpass the power and authority of Gregory VII and Innocent III, and who Dante plunged pretty far down in his Inferno. The longer version of Boniface’s story is worth the telling, but I’ll save that for another time. Suffice to say, the saying most connected to Boniface is this: ‘He came in like a fox, ruled like a lion, and died like a dog.’ It fits deliciously.
The struggle between Philip and Boniface was won decisively by Philip (Boniface died a few days after one of Philip’s advisors paid him a visit, yep it’s a mystery). Philip knew that such contests were inherently problematic and dangerous, and so moved to solve the problem. He did so by helping a childhood friend work his way up the church hierarchy. This friend, Raymond Bertrand de Got, was elected Pope Clement V in 1305. In a twist of fate that no one could possibly have seen coming (yes, great sarcasm involved here), Clement decided to move the papacy, lock, stock, and curia, to the ‘independent’ city of Avignon in 1307.
Once in Avignon, the popes worked furiously to build a suitable domicile for the head of the church, and all of the attendant bureaucracy and support systems. The central section of the massive fortress was built in the early years of the Avignon papacy and finished by the mid-1340s. The second wave of building, under the direction of Pope Clement VI (1342-1352) dramatically expanded an already impressive edifice. Architects, sculptors, musicians, and scholars were all drawn to Avignon to be a part of this new era of growth in the arts – mainly because the papacy became a significant benefactor so that the new center of the church was as awe-inspiring as possible.
When you walk across the place/piazza/platz in front of the palace what you first notice is just the sheer size and scope of…well, everything. It is jaw droppingly big.
You can see why the popes, upon their return to Rome in the 1370s, immediately started thinking of building a new St. Peter’s, they wanted something even more massive, something with an even greater canvass for brilliant artists and architects.
As you make your way through the palace, you can’t help but think that the reason for building so big, so formidable, so quickly (relatively speaking), was to immediately impress upon everyone that the papacy, and therefore the church, expressed the kind of power that brooked no opposition.
Now, I’ve always found this to be somewhat farcical as they were there for the express purpose of being kept under the thumb of the French kings, as well as to be a show pony for their power and reach.
After riding out the Black Plague (Pope Clement VI spent each day of the worst months sitting between two massive braziers – medical historians say this likely saved him), the popes started to be pressured to return to Rome, not only because it was the historic see of St. Peter, but also it was more difficult to try to unite the greater church when you were sitting out in the middle of nowhere (even now, Avignon is not the easiest place to get to – yep, it’s on the train line from Paris to Marseille, but you really have to commit to get there).
Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) arguably had the greatest impact on convincing Pope Gregory XI (pope from 1370-1378) to return the papacy to Rome. In the summer of 1376, she spent months in Avignon convincing the pope to make the move. According to the story told of her efforts, she was finally able to break through his resistance by declaring that she knew of the secret vow he had made, that if he was elected pope, he would move the papacy back to Rome. She impressed on him that he needed to fulfil that vow, reminding him that God would not exactly be thrilled with the pope turning his back on a vow made to God.
Gregory XI did return to Rome, which, of course, sparked a whole new and spectacular crisis, but that is a post for a later time – if folks are at all interested.
The Avignon papacy flashed into existence because the French kings really wanted to exert greater control, and it winked right back out because the popes realized that they were playing on a much bigger field. To do that, they needed to be rooted in their historical home, and operating with a greater degree of independence if they really wanted to be able to throw their weight around (which they really did).
That things didn’t turn out exactly as planned should not come as a surprise, but no matter what, the church was back in Rome, and the palace of the popes in Avignon faded into the background, slowly crumbling into near ruin, with restoration only truly beginning in the early 20th century.
An important part of the story of the Middle Ages is, in many ways, the tale of the struggle between church and state to exert power and express authority. The development of political theories that argued who had that power and authority, and from whence it all came, is rich and profound, and set the stage for the Early Modern period’s exploration and conceptualization of liberty.
Ice Cream, a Mattresses, and Half a Day of Work
Hildebrand
Seems fitting that this posted on the day of the opening of the conclave. Another chapter of papal history will begin over the next few days.
I’m happy to answer any questions.
Lapassionara
Wow. Thanks for the photos and the history lesson. These are terrific.
Ramalama
Dammit I was in Marseille a couple years ago and CouldaWouldaShoulda gone to Avignon to see the palace. Ok. Noted.
scribbler
I’m enjoying this series so much. And I want to hear ALL the stories.
Reboot
Great photos. Not that they’re the same thing, but it’s interesting to contrast the relative austerity of Avignon’s papal seat with, say, Blois chateau (we recently visited it), which had a chance to build up with various kings, and wonder what Avignon might have looked like had the papacy there lasted centuries rather than 68 years.
Also, I too really liked the history lesson. Hope to see more! I think I recall a pope who led soldiers into battle, but can’t remember a period or name.
Auntie Anne
More stories, please! I understand why those rooms/areas are so vast . . . But I would think hearing a Mass in the Grand Chapel would have been all but impossible for any of the congregants. And why did Clement V decide on Avignon, in particular?
p.a
Wonderful post.
Of course the Romans, not wanting to lose their pilgrimmage mealticket, appointed their own pope during the “abduction”, and a splinter group, possibly inspired by the Holy Roman Emperor, tried their hand at popifying, seating someone, at a guess without google, in Milan. Can’t tell the players without a program!
MazeDancer
Such excellent photos. And well-told history!
pat
Fascinating. I just finished re-reading “The Great Mortality, An Intimate History of the Black Death, the Most Devastating Plague of all Time” by John Kelly.
Can you recommend any books that would cover the time period you are talking about?
Thanks.
Trivia Man
@Lapassionara: I agree, the history lesson really helps give these photos deeper resonance.
Sandia Blanca
One note: The date given for the start of Philip the Fair’s reign does not fit within the time frame for the other events.
Thank you, Hildebrand, for these posts. It’s always astonishing to see such ancient structures still standing. I marvel at how people coping with short life spans managed to plan and build these massive edifices.
Hildebrand
@Sandia Blanca: Oops, good catch on that typo. He ascended in 1285
Hildebrand
@pat: Here are a few suggestions:
Edwin Mullins – The Popes of Avignon: A Century in Exile
Brian Fagan – The Little Ice Age: How Climate Made History 1300-1850
Norman Cantor – In the Wake of the Plague: The Black Death and the World It Made
Anne Curry – The Hundred Years War 1337-1453
Shelley Emling – Setting the World On Fire: The Brief Astonishing Life of Catherine of Siena
You can also read Dante’s Divine Comedy and Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales for additional color and commentary on the goings on.
Steer clear of ‘A World Lit Only By Fire’ – it is an execrable book that wholly embraces the whole ‘dark ages’ horseshit that every Medieval and Early Modern European historian has been debunking for 40 years.
pat
@Hildebrand:
Thank you! I’ll be looking for them in the local library.
twbrandt
Hildebrand doesn’t mention it, but Pope Gregory VII was born Hildebrand of Savona. Coincidence?
ETA: I very much agree with steering clear of “A World Lit Only By Fire”.
Hildebrand
@twbrandt: Yep, wrote my dissertation on him. A deeply fascinating, complicated, pain in the ass to everyone who knew him. His actions reverberated for good and ill throughout the medieval period (and beyond, really).
stinger
That Grand Chapel — whew! Huge!
More? Yes, please!
Ramalama
@Hildebrand: Speaking of Canterbury Tales, I think it’s the first mention of the word slacker (‘slekker’) the meaning remaining the same.
H.E.Wolf
Thank you – loved this! So much good dish, so expertly and enjoyably retold. In spite of being swamped today, will be reading it a 2nd time for sure.
Hildebrand
@Reboot: Pope Julius II (1503-1513). He led troops in battle during the Italian Wars.
Ironically, he was archbishop of Avignon from 1474-1503.
Hildebrand
Julius likely took his name not as an homage to Julius I, but Julius Caesar.
WaterGirl
@Hildebrand: Oh, that was intentional on my part. //
StringOnAStick
It was my becoming aware as a preteen of all the political/pope maneuvering in this period that pretty much put me off organized religion for life; the contrast between the concepts of spirituality and the actual depth of the politics and power games were just so revealing. Given our Opus Dei problem in the USSC and their ascendancy in US Catholic/US government and courts power struggles, I don’t think my mind is changeable at this point. I see no reason to reassess this stance, Mr.Leonard Leo, this stuff is your playground.
Sandia Blanca
@Hildebrand: Thanks! That was my guess.
TheOtherHank
@Hildebrand: Adding to the chorus, but I’m pretty sure Philip the Fair must have started his reign in 1285 not 1485.
Also, how do we feel about Tuchman’s A Distant Mirror? And I would be interested in reading about more about Popes and Anti-Popes.
Hildebrand
@TheOtherHank: The problem with Tuchman was that she was a modern historian who ambled into the medieval period to say something about the late 20th century (hence the title).
That makes it problematic, because it’s written very well, and was widely read – but it has an agenda that isn’t truly interested in providing a clear understanding of the 14th century for its own sake.
For the unwary reader, it’s a bit of bait and switch, which even an educated lay person (the audience for such a book) just wouldn’t even guess at because they aren’t familiar with the sources.
Whether she leaves out so much because she simply didn’t know the sources herself, or because she was shaping the narrative to fit her argument, isn’t clear. Either way, though, it makes me quite leery about ever recommending it.
Azelie
@Hildebrand: Fellow medievalist here. Thank you for these pictures and the post. I’m so jealous of your trip!
TheOtherHank
@Hildebrand:
Thanks for the reply. I’ll keep that it mind.
They Call Me Noni
@Hildebrand: I have very much enjoyed your history lesson, commentary and photos. Thank you for sharing and am looking forward to the next installment.
Aussie Sheila
Late to the party, but thank you very much for this. The photos are excellent, ditto the history. The south of France is absolutely my favourite part of southern Europe. So beautiful and yet austere in its way.
I would love to see more of this, and hopefully, I’ll get to it in time!
sab
@Ramalama: I went to Avignon in my junior year abroad 1975. My French was sort of okay, but Provencal accent was incomprehensible to me. Paris I could understand. Quebec I could understand. South of France not at all.
Ruckus
The USN took me to Europe 3 times as a NATO ship.
Some of it was actually a good time. All of that good time stuff was off the ship in various countries and cities. The vast majority of it was beautiful. That which wasn’t was pretty close. I was almost always in awe of the people and how nice most of them were.