Philip of Majorca

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Philip's seal as treasurer of Tours

Philip of Majorca (

Spiritual Franciscans
, preaching poverty for all clerics. He spent a large part of his career unsuccessfully trying to establish a new Franciscan-based religious order.

Early life

Philip was the youngest of the four sons of

King Robert of Naples.[1][2]

Career

While studying in

Archbishopric of Tarragona, which his kinsman King James II of Aragon wanted for his son John.[2][3]

Philip developed a great admiration for the fellow Franciscan

Bishopric of Mirepoix;[3] Philip refused this see too.[1][3]

Regency

When

crown of Majorca passed to the underage King James III, the son of Philip and Sancho's deceased brother Ferdinand. The succession was disputed, however, by James II of Aragon, who claimed that a clause in their grandfather's will stipulated that the crown of Majorca would pass to the king of Aragon should the king of Majorca have no sons. Denying this, Sancho had provided for a regency council, consisting of three citizens of Majorca, to rule in his nephew's name. The council soon found itself sharing authority with Philip, who lacked experience in politics and intrigue. Nevertheless, within a year of his nephew's contested accession, Philip managed to persuade the King of Aragon to drop his pretensions, receiving the renunciation signed and sealed. At the same time, he brokered a betrothal between the ten-year-old King of Majorca and the King of Aragon's five-year-old daughter Constance.[5]

During his rule, Philip granted concessions to the kingdom's Jewish population.[6] He resisted the Inquisition's pursuit of Spirituals, and strove to shield Jews from growing fanaticism.[2] The regency was not particularly successful altogether, however. Philip's lack of strength and "monkish virtues" put him at odds with the small state's communes and feudatories.[3] The young king also grew to heartily resent his uncle, who assigned the guardianship over the boy to his favourite Adhémar de Mosset. Upon taking the reins of government into his own hands in 1329, the not-so-pious James III had his former guardian tried for heresy.[3]

Last years

No longer involved in state affairs, Philip left Majorca and moved to the Neapolitan court of his sister and brother-in-law, where he spent the rest of his life. Soon after arriving to Naples, he renounced all his benefices.[4] Encouraged by the subtle hostility of King Robert's court towards the papacy, Philip openly attacked Pope John XXII in a sermon, asserting that, papal decrees notwithstanding, the existence of the "Brothers of the poor Life" was the realization of the Gospel.[4] He attempted to establish the order once more, but Pope Benedict XII confirmed his predecessor's decision.[1]

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 978-0271041384
    .
  2. ^
    ISBN 978-1434997500
    .
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Langworthy Douie, Decima (1932). The Nature and the Effect of the Heresy of the Fraticelli. Manchester University Press. p. 62.
  4. ^ a b c Nimmo, Duncan (1987). Reform and Division in the Medieval Franciscan Order: From Saint Francis to the Foundation of the Capuchins. Capuchin Historical Institute. p. 361.
  5. ^ Colas, Jean Louis (1967). The Balearics, Islands of Enchantment. Rand McNally. pp. 45.
  6. ISBN 0521894050
    .
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