Pope Honorius II
Bishop of Ostia (1117–1124) [1] | |
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Other popes named Honorius |
Pope Honorius II (9 February 1060 – 13 February 1130), born Lamberto Scannabecchi,[2] was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 21 December 1124 to his death in 1130.
Although from a humble background, his obvious intellect and outstanding abilities saw him promoted up through the ecclesiastical hierarchy. Attached to the
Honorius's pontificate was concerned with ensuring that the privileges the Roman Catholic Church had obtained through the
Honorius II failed to prevent
Early life
Lamberto was of simple rural origins, hailing from Fiagnano in the
With Gelasius's death at Cluny on 28 January 1119, Cardinal Lamberto and Cardinal Cono (Bishop of Palestrina) conducted the election of a new pope according to the canons. Cardinal Lamberto carried out the coronation of Guy de Bourgogne at Vienne on 9 February 1119, and became a close advisor of Pope Callixtus II.[2] Accompanying Callixtus throughout France, he assisted Callixtus in his initial dealings with Holy Roman Emperor Henry V.[3] As a well-known opponent of the emperor's right to select bishops in his territories (the Investiture Controversy), Lamberto was a natural choice for papal legate. He was sent in 1119 to deal with Henry V and delegated with powers to come to an understanding concerning the right of investiture.[3]
Forceful and determined, he summoned the bishops of the Holy Roman Empire to attend an assembly at Mainz on 8 September 1122. He expected absolute obedience, so much so that it took the mediation of Archbishop Adalbert of Mainz to prevent the suspension of Saint Otto of Bamberg for non-attendance.[9] The struggle came to a conclusion with the Concordat of Worms in 1122 and the "Pactum Calixtinum" that was almost entirely due to Lamberto's efforts[9] was effected on 23 September 1123.
Pontificate
Conclave of 1124
Pressures building within the
By 1124, there were two great factions dominating local politics in Rome: the Frangipani family, which controlled the region around the fortified Colosseum and supported the northern cardinals,[10] and the Pierleoni family, which controlled the Tiber Island and the fortress of the Theatre of Marcellus and supported the Italian cardinals.[11] With Callixtus II's death on 13 December 1124, both families agreed that the election of the next pope should be in three days time, in accordance with the church canons. The Frangipani, led by Leo Frangipani, pushed for the delay in order that they could promote their preferred candidate, Lamberto,[11] but the people were eager to see Saxo de Anagni, the Cardinal-Priest of San Stefano in Celiomonte elected as the next pope.[11] Leo, eager to ensure a valid election, approached key members of every Cardinal's entourage, promising each one that he would support their master when the voting for the election was underway.[12]
On 16 December, all the Cardinals, including Lamberto, assembled in the chapel of the monastery of St. Pancratius attached to the south of the Lateran basilica.
Rome descended into factional infighting, while Cardinal Aymeric and Leo Frangipani attempted to win over the resistance of Urban, the City Prefect, and the Pierleoni family with bribes and extravagant promises.[10] Eventually, Celestine's supporters abandoned him, leaving Honorius the only contender for the papal throne.[14] Honorius, unwilling to accept the throne in such a manner, resigned his position before all of the assembled Cardinals,[14] but was immediately and unanimously re-elected and consecrated on 21 December 1124.[10]
Papacy
Relations with the Holy Roman Empire
Honorius immediately came into conflict with Emperor Henry V over imperial claims in Italy.
The death of Emperor Henry V on 23 May 1125 put an end to these squabbles, but soon Honorius was involved in a new power struggle in the
Lothair was unable to visit Rome immediately as Germany was rocked by the rebellion of the Hohenstaufen brothers, with
One of the key ecclesiastical advisors of Lothair III was Saint
Concerns in Campania
One of Honorius's first tasks in southern Italy was to deal with the barons in the Campania who were molesting farmers and travellers at will with their armed bands.[23] In 1125, papal force brought to heel the lords of Ceccano. Papal armies took possession of various towns, including Maenza, Roccasecca and Trevi nel Lazio.[23] In 1128, Honorius's forces successfully captured the town of Segni, which was also held by a local baron who died during its capture.[24] Honorius, however, was most concerned about the former papal stronghold at Fumone, which the nobles, who held it in the pope's name, had decided to keep possession of. The town fell in July 1125 after a siege of ten weeks.[23] When Honorius took possession of Fumone, he returned it, after taking safeguards, to its rebellious custodians and ordered that the Antipope Gregory VIII be transferred there from his previous lodgings at Monte Cassino.[25] With that, Honorius turned his attention to the powerful and independent-minded abbot of Monte Cassino, Oderisio di Sangro.
Honorius had a long-standing dislike of Oderisio going back to the time when Honorius was cardinal-bishop of Ostia.[26] Honorius had asked for permission from the abbot to allow him and his entourage permission to stay in the church of Santa Maria in Pallara, which was a traditional privilege belonging to the bishops of Ostia.[26] Oderisio refused, and Honorius never forgot the insult. These bad feelings were compounded in 1125, when Oderisio refused a request from Pope Honorius for some financial assistance after he had been enthroned.[26] Oderisio also mocked Honorius's peasant background behind his back.[27]
Using reports that the abbot had been lining his own pockets rather than spending it on his monastery, Honorius publicly denounced Oderisio, calling him a soldier and a thief, not a monk.[27] When Atenulf, count of Aquino, brought accusations that Oderisio was aiming for the papacy, Honorius summoned Oderisio to Rome to answer the charges.[27] Three times Oderisio refused to answer the summons and so during Lent of 1126, Honorius deposed the abbot.[27] Oderisio refused to accept the deposition and continued to act as abbot, forcing Honorius to excommunicate him.[27] Oderisio fortified the monastery, as the people of the town of Cassino forcibly entered the monastery, and after an armed struggle forced the monks to declare Oderisio deposed and to elect another abbot in his place.[28] The monks elected Niccolo, the dean of the monastery.[27]
Determined to bring the Benedictines to heel,[10] Honorius insisted that the election of Niccolo was uncanonical, and demanded that Seniorectus, the provost of the monastery at Capua, be elected as abbot, to the fury of the Monte Cassino monks.[29] In the meantime, open warfare was being waged between the supporters of Oderisio and Niccolo. Eventually, however, Honorius was able to secure not only the resignation of Oderisio, but he also excommunicated Niccolo for good measure.[29] He reassured the monks of his intentions, and in September 1127, he personally installed Seniorectus as abbot.[30] Honorius also insisted that the monks take an oath of fidelity to the papacy, but they strenuously objected.[30]
Conflict with Roger II of Sicily
Matters to the south of Monte Cassino soon occupied Honorius's attention. In July 1127,
Roger returned in May 1128 and continued to harass papal strongholds while avoiding any direct confrontation with Honorius's forces. In July 1128, the two armies came in contact with each other on the banks of the Bradano, but Roger refused to engage, believing that the papal armies would soon fall apart, and soon enough some of the Pope's allies began deserting to Roger.[33] Trying to salvage something of the situation, Honorius sent his trusted advisor Cardinal Aymeric together with Cencio II Frangipane to negotiate with Roger secretly.[10] Honorius agreed to invest Roger with the duchy of Apulia in exchange for an oath of faith and homage by Roger.[10]
Honorius travelled to Benevento, and after safeguarding the interests of Robert of Capua,[33] he met Roger on the Pons Major, the bridge which crosses the Sabbato river near Benevento, on 22 August 1128. There, he formally invested Roger with the duchy of Apulia and both agreed to a peace between the Kingdom of Sicily and the Papal States.[10] Unfortunately, Honorius had just returned to Rome when he was informed that the nobles of Benevento had overthrown and killed the rector (or papal governor) of the city and established a Commune.[34] Furious, he declared he would wreak a terrible vengeance on the city, whereupon the residents asked Honorius for forgiveness and to send another governor.[34] Honorius sent Cardinal Gherardo as the new rector, and in 1129 visited the city again, asking that the city allow the return of those they had banished during the formation of the Commune. They refused, and Honorius asked Roger II of Sicily to punish the city in May 1130, but Honorius died before action was taken.[34]
Intervention in France
Aside from the Benedictines at Monte Cassino, Honorius was also determined to deal with the monks at Cluny Abbey under their ambitious and worldly abbot, Pons of Melgueil.[10] He had just returned from the Levant after being forced out by his monks in 1122.[35] In 1125, accompanied by an armed following, Pons took possession of Cluny Abbey, melted down the treasures stored in the monastery, and paid his followers, who continued to terrorise the monks and the villages dependent upon the abbey.[35]
Honorius, on hearing news of the disorders at Cluny, sent a legate to investigate with orders to excommunicate and denounce Pons and order him to present himself before Honorius.[36] Pons eventually obeyed the summons, and was deposed by Honorius in 1126[10] before being imprisoned in the Septizodium, where he soon died.[37] Honorius personally reinvested Peter the Venerable as Abbot of Cluny.[37]
Honorius soon became involved in the quarrel between King
Royal pressure was also brought to bear on
In response to the king's actions, the French bishops laid an
In 1127, Honorius confirmed the acts of the Synod of Nantes, presided over by Archbishop Hildebert of Lavardin, which eradicated certain local abuses in Brittany.[45] That same year, Honorius helped Conan III, Duke of Brittany, bring one of his rebellious vassals to heel.[46] He also intervened on behalf of the monks of the Lérins Islands who were constantly harassed by Arab pirates, encouraging a crusade to help defend the monks.[47]
Honorius was also called to intervene in the affairs of Normandy, as Fulk of Anjou and King Henry I of England battled for domination. Henry objected to the marriage of Fulk's daughter Sibylla of Anjou to William Clito, the son of the duke of Normandy, on the grounds that they were too closely related by blood, being sixth cousins.[48] They refused to divorce, and Honorius was forced to excommunicate Fulk and his son-in-law and to impose an interdict upon their territories.[49]
Relations with England and Spain
In England, the ongoing dispute between the Sees of
In Honorius's name, John of Crema convened the Synod of Roxburgh in 1125. In a letter written to King David I of Scotland, the king was asked to send the bishops of Scotland to the Council, which discussed the claims of the Archbishop of York to have jurisdiction over the church in Scotland.[51] Upholding the claims of York, Honorius was unsuccessful in forcing the Scottish bishops to obey Archbishop Thurstan.[52]
Next, John convened the Synod of
Urban of Llandaff also travelled to Rome on numerous occasions to meet with Honorius throughout 1128 and 1129, to plead his case that his diocese should not be subject to the see of Canterbury. Although he obtained numerous privileges for his see and Honorius always spoke encouragingly to him, Honorius avoided having to make a decision that might alienate the powerful archbishops of Canterbury.[57]
In Spain, Honorius was deeply suspicious of the ambitions of Diego Gelmírez, the Archbishop of Compostela.[58] Although Pope Callixtus II had made him Papal Legate of a number of Spanish provinces, Honorius informed Diego that he had been made aware of Diego's ambitions and subtly advised him to keep his ambition in check.[58] Still hoping to be promoted to the office of Legate of Spain, Diego sent envoys to Rome, carrying with them 300 gold Almoravid coins, two hundred and twenty for Honorius and another eighty for the Curia.[58] Honorius repeated that his hands were tied, as he had just appointed a cardinal for that post.[59]
Nevertheless, Honorius was not prepared to completely alienate Diego, and when the
Honorius also wished to promote the ongoing struggle against the Moors in Spain, and to that end he bestowed the city of Tarragona, which had been recently captured from the Moors, to Robert d'Aguiló.[61][62] Robert travelled to Rome to receive the gift from Honorius in 1128.[62]
Establishment of the Templars and affairs in the East
In 1119, a new religious order had been established by some French noblemen. Called the
Honorius, as suzerain of the
Death of Honorius II
After almost a year of suffering a painful illness,[69] Honorius fell seriously ill in early 1130.[10] Cardinal Aymeric and the Frangipani family began planning their next moves, and Honorius was taken to the San Gregorio Magno al Celio monastery, which was located in the territory controlled by the Frangipani.[10] Supporters of the Pierleoni family, already preparing to back Pietro Pierleoni[70] on a rumor that Honorius had died, stormed the monastery of the dying Honorius, hoping to force the election of Pietro.[71] Only the sight of the still living Honorius in full pontifical robes forced them to disperse.[71]
Nevertheless, Cardinal Aymeric's plans had not yet reached fruition when Honorius died on the evening of 13 February 1130.
Legacy
The way in which Honorius was elected meant that he became a creature, not only of Cardinal Aymeric,
At the same time, he found himself drawn into the continued chaos of local Roman politics,[73] as the Frangipani enjoyed their influence at the papal court, while the Pierleoni family continually fought against them and against Honorius. Their ceaseless infighting, repressed during the pontificate of Calixtus II, broke out again, and Honorius found he did not have the resources to suppress the Pierleoni, nor the authority to rein in the Frangipani. Honorius was required to engage in a number of petty wars in Rome, which wasted his time and were in the long haul unsuccessful in restoring order in the streets.[73] The continued chaos would be instrumental in the events that saw the resurrection of Republican sentiment in the city and the eventual establishment of the Commune of Rome in the following decade.
See also
Sources
- Bergamo, Mario da (1968) OFM Cist. [Luigi Pellegrini], "La duplice elezione papale del 1130: I precedenti immediati e i protagonisti," Contributi dell' Istituto di Storia Medioevale, Raccolta di studi in memoria di Giovanni Soranzo II (Milan), 265–302.
- Catholic Encyclopedia: Honorius II[1]
- Duffy, Eamon (2001). Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes. Yale University Press. pp. 140–141. ISBN 978-0-300-09165-6.
- Gregorovius, Ferdinand (1896) History of Rome in the Middle Ages, Volume IV. 2 second edition, revised (London: George Bell).
- Hüls, Rudolf (1977) Kardinäle, Klerus und Kirchen Roms: 1049–1130 (Tübingen) [Bibliothek des Deutschen Historischen Instituts in Rom, Band 48].
- Levillain, Philippe (2002) The Papacy: An Encyclopedia, Vol II: Gaius-Proxies, Routledge
- Mann, Horace K. (1925). The Lives of the Popes in the Middle Ages: 1099-1130. Vol. 8. Kegan Paul.
- Pandulphus Pisanus (1723) "Vita Calisti Papae II," "Vita Honorii II," Ludovico Antonio Muratori (editor), Rerum Italicarum Scriptores III. 1 (Milan), pp. 418–419; 421–422.
- Stroll, Mary (1987) The Jewish Pope (New York: Brill 1987).
- Stroll, Mary (2005) Calixtus II (New York: Brill 2005).
- Thomas, P. C. (2007) A Compact History of the Popes, St Pauls BYB
References
- ^ a b Catholic Encyclopedia: Honorius II
- ^ a b c d e Levillain, pg. 731
- ^ a b c d Mann, pg. 234.
- ^ Hüls, pg. 215, no. 13. The date of appointment is unknown, the titulus is unknown, and there are no surviving subscriptions until 1116.
- ^ Hüls, pg. 197, no. 3, points out that Romanus became cardinal of S. Prassede in 1106 at the latest, and he is still there in 1112. Desiderius succeeded him at S. Prassede by 1116, and went over to the Anacletan Obedience in 1130.
- ^ though the Titulus St. Praxedis, The titulus of S. Prassede is a suggestion of Ciaconius (Alfonso Chacón), in: Vitae et res gestae Pontificum romanorum et S.R.E. Cardinalium second ed. (ed. Augustinus Olduin) Tomus I (Rome: Filippo and Antonio Rossi 1677), pg. 909; Hüls remarks, "Diese Angabe bei Ciaconius... is nicht überprüfbar; in die Kardinalsliste von S. Prassede lieẞe sich jedoch Lambert gut einfügen."
- ^ Thomas, pg. 90.
- ^ G. Trombelli, Memorie istoriche cocern. le due canoniche di S. Maria di Reno e di S. Salvatore (in Italian) (Bologna 1752), pg. 207.
- ^ a b Mann, pg. 235
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai Levillain, pg. 732
- ^ a b c Mann, pg. 231
- ^ a b Mann, pg. 232
- ^ a b c Thomas, pg. 90
- ^ a b c Mann, pg. 233
- ^ Mann, pg. 237
- ^ a b c d Mann, pg. 238
- ^ Mann, pg. 239
- ^ Mann, pg. 240
- ^ a b c Mann, pg. 241
- ^ Mann, pg. 242
- ^ Mann, pg. 243
- ^ a b Mann, pg. 244
- ^ a b c Mann, pg. 246
- ^ a b Mann, pg. 252
- ^ Mann, pg. 247
- ^ a b c Mann, pg. 248
- ^ a b c d e f Mann, pg. 249
- ^ Mann, pgs. 249–250
- ^ a b Mann, pg. 250
- ^ a b Mann, pg. 251
- ^ a b c d e Mann, pg. 253
- ^ a b Mann, pg. 254
- ^ a b Mann, pg. 255
- ^ a b c Mann, pg. 256
- ^ a b Mann, pg. 260
- ^ Mann, pgs. 260–261
- ^ a b Mann, pg. 261
- ^ a b Mann, pg. 262
- ^ a b c Mann, pg. 264
- ^ a b Mann, pg. 265
- ^ Mann, pg. 266
- ^ Mann, pg. 267
- ^ Mann, pg. 269
- ^ a b Mann, pg. 263
- ^ Mann, pg. 268
- ^ Mann, pgs. 268–269
- ^ Mann, pg. 271
- ^ Mann, pg. 272
- ^ Mann, pg. 274
- ^ a b c Mann, pg. 285
- ^ Mann, pg. 286
- ^ a b Mann, pg. 287
- ^ Mann, pg. 290
- ^ Mann, pgs. 290–291
- ^ Mann, pg. 291
- ^ a b Mann, pg. 292
- ^ Mann, pg. 289
- ^ a b c Mann, pg. 293
- ^ a b c Mann, pg. 294
- ^ Mann, pgs. 294–295
- ^ Elizabeth Van Houts, The Normans in Europe, (Manchester University Press, 2000), 271.
- ^ a b Mann, pg. 296
- ^ Mann, pg. 297
- ^ Mann, pg. 298
- ^ Mann, pg. 299
- ^ a b c Mann, pg. 300
- ^ Mann, pg. 301
- ^ a b Mann, pg. 302
- ^ Mann, pg. 303
- ^ Levillain, pg. 733
- ^ a b c d Mann, pg. 304
- ^ Levillain, pgs. 732–733
- ^ a b c Mann, pg. 236