Papal policy which diverted funds intended for the Holy Land to other purposes.[2]
He was also a vocal critic of the European clergy who did not preach crusading.
Bonomel's dispute was not so much with the Italian crusades in general, but with the siphoning off of monies paid for the commuting of crusader vows to fund
chansons de geste
that divine approval is indicated by success on the battlefield.
. . . crotz ni lei no.m val ni guia
contr'als fels Turcs, cui Dieus maldia;
anz es semblans, segon qu'hom pot vezer,
c'al dan de nos los vol Dieus mantener
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Lo papa faid de perdon gran largueza
contr'als Lombartz, a Carl'e als Frances
e sai, ves nos, en mostra gran cobeza
que nostra crotz perdona per tornes.
E qui vol camjar romaria
per la guerra de Lombardia
nostre legatza lor en dara poder,
qu'il vendon Dieu e.l perdona per aver.
. . . neither the cross nor the Christian faith help me or protect me
from the wicked Turks whom God curses.
It thus seems, as anyone can see,
that God wishes to support them to our detriment.[1]
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The pope is generous in his distribution of pardons
given to Charles and the French to fight the Lombards,
while he displays great miserliness toward us here,
for he forgives the taking of the cross in exchange for payments in livres tournois.