Author: The reign Pope Innocent III (r. 1198-1216) is generally considered to be the epitome of the medieval papacy. He firmly asserted the authority of the pope and established much of the infrastructure and bureaucracy we associate with the Church. His theocratic leanings led papal involvement in politics.
Context: This document must be considered in larger socio-historical context. Issued in 1201, between the Third Crusade (1189-1192) and the Fourth Crusade (1202-1204), this document illustrates the complicated relationship between the Church and the state. Due to complicated political and diplomatic situations in England, Argon, Leon, France, Germany, Sicily, and Tuscany, Innocent intervened in political affairs of the state.
Summary: This proclamation was issued in the early year's of Innocent's reign and details the relationship between church (the Pope) and state (the King), with the former dominating the latter. The right to rule is granted by God and, since the Pope is the final authority on Earth, kings must answer to the Pope. Thus, after explaining the insufficiency of Frederick and Phillip, Innocent chooses Otto as the Holy Roman Emperor because he is "devout" and comes from "devout ancestors." With this document, Innocent asserts papal hegemony in Rome and authority over matters both temporal and spiritual.
Key Quotation: "The empire derives its origin and its final authority from the papacy...the emperor is raised to his position by the pope who blesses him, crowns him, and invests him with the empire"
The author description as well as the context were thorough enough to give a good background without being overwhelming. They helped clarify the information surrounding the piece that might otherwise have caused questioning. I was at an advantage because I researched Pope Innocent III for my article as well. The summary is true to the Pope's connection to the state and the summary is good. This way of thinking is also reflected in the key quotation.
ReplyDeleteThe tone of the is informational and authoritative.
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