Frederick II Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and the Papacy Jenielle Balkowski History 226 paper 12/15/2011
Throughout the Middle Ages, There have been a numerous of disputes between the papal powers and the monarchies regarding political control or over the right to appointment of bishops such as the dispute between Henry IV and Pope Gregory III which wasn t resolved until the Concordat of Worms in 1122 between Henry V and Pope Calixtus II. The relationships between Frederick II, Holy Roman Empire and the papal powers resulted in either elaborate disputes or excommunication from Pope Honorius II, Gregory IX and Innocent IV. Before discussing the papal disputes and excommunications of Frederick II, I m going to give a brief background on Frederick s childhood. Frederick II was born on December 26, 1194 to Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor and Constance of Sicily. In addition, as an infant he was elected as King of Germany which was disputed by his uncles Philip of Swabia and Otto of Brunswick. Frederick II was an orphan by the age of 1198 because both his parents died and was left in the care of Pope Innocent III. At a younger age Frederick was declared King of Sicily and King of Germany after his uncle Otto invaded Italy and was excommunicated. Frederick at a young age was used as a political pawn by Innocent III to separate the Kingdoms of Germany and Italy and limit the power of the Emperor. However, the death of pope Innocent III brought years to follow a series of dramatic altercations and excommunication between Frederick and the Papacy.
After the death of Pope Innocent III in 1216, forced Frederick II to not only discover himself but also depend on his own thought and resources. 1 The successor of Pope Innocent III was Pope Honorius III whose objective was to carry out a crusade in Egypt decreed by the Lateran Council prior to the death of pope Innocent III. The crusade in Egypt was pushed heavily by Pope Honorius III regardless of Frederick s determination to secure the security of his kingdoms and asked the Pope to delay his fulfillment of his vow at a later day. In January 1219, Frederick II wrote to Pope Honorius III stating that he would aid the crusaders after receiving repeated request: We know that the Holy Land has more need of succor than ever before; the army as it seems either conquer or perish. We are grateful to him who has raised us to the Kingdom and Empire and we are about to appoint a time for our men to assemble for the crusade 2 However, this letter by Frederick only intensified the fears and doubts of his friends and enemies regarding his involvement in the crusade. As a result, Frederick decided to write the Pope another letter to seal any fears or rumors about his unfaithfulness to the cause of the crusade: God can reward you, dear father, for your kindness to us better than we can. We request still further favors from you of which you will not repent. Do not lend your ears to those calumniators who tell you that we are lukewarm in the matter of the crusade. Such a thought is abhorrent to our conscience 3 In addition, the pope heartened the crusaders motivation and expectation that Frederick would come to their aid at a later date lead to a brilliant and successful victory in capturing Damietta. 1 Einstein, David G. Emperor Frederick II Pg 146. 2 Einstein, David G. Emperor Frederick II Pg 151 3 IBID
However, Frederick still had reservations about participating in the crusade even though there was peace and tranquility in both the Sicily and German kingdoms. Frederick wrote another letter to Pope Honorius III asking for a third postponement of the crusade due to the unrest in Europe that needed is presence. Pope Honorius III complied with the request made by Frederick but reminded him to his vow to the church: What ships, dearest son, what galleys have you made ready? We had rather you forestalled our wishes in such an undertaking instead of lagging behind them. Do not sleep but assure others to watch. You are young and valiant: the more God has given you, the more will He require at your hands 4 However in late 1221, Pope Honorius III s crusade failed because after the Christians refused an agreement with the Moslems for an exchange Jerusalem for Damietta because they believed in an attempt to capture all of Egypt. The city of Damietta was recaptured by the Moslems. As a result, Pope Honorius III blamed Frederick for his constant delays and inefficient aid that was dispatched for the army. As a result, Pope Honorius III wrote a letter to the Emperor in a direct sharp communication that he must participate in the crusade or be excommunicated from the church: For Five years men have been expecting your crusade.we shall spare you not longer, if you still neglect your duty: we shall excommunicate you in the face of the Christian World. Take heed like a wise man and a Catholic Prince 5 On the hand history has placed the blame of loss of Damietta on the incapable leader of the Christian forces Cardinal Pelagius. The correspondence between Frederick II and Honorius III 4 Einstein, David G. Emperor Frederick II Pg 153 5 Einstein, David G. Emperor Frederick II Pg 174
led to a meeting at Veroli in 1222 where he promised his participation in the crusade. In addition, Frederick planned a Diet in Cremona with both the nobles of Italy and Germany to get nobles motivate about the cause of the crusade. Unfortuanly, the marching from the Germany states by Frederick s son Henry in the North and himself from the south was viewed by northern Italy as an attempt to enslave them under the political domination of Frederick. Pope Honorius III wrote a letter to Frederick addressing his actions requesting nobles of a papal state was in violation of papal authority in the duchy of Anconia. As a result, Frederick s son Henry was forced to return to Germany to avoid a war in Lombardy. Ironically, Frederick placed an interdict on Lombardy after the cities refused to support the cause of the crusade and left the issue to the pope. The resolution made by Honorius III didn t solve the matter. On March 28 1227, Pope Honorius III died and was succeed by Gregory IX. After, the death of Pope Honorius III the College of Cardinals elected Cardinal Ugolino as the elected pope and assumes the name of Pope Gregory IX. In addition, the relationship between the Emperor and Papacy became hostile and lead to four excommunications. The first three excommunications of Frederick II from the Church came from Pope Gregory IX due to the delay partaking in another crusade. In 1227, when Pope Gregory IX succeed as the new pope had two weapons of offensive against the Emperor such as the unfilled vow as decreed in the Treaty of San Germano in 1225 between his predecessor and Frederick. In addition, a Christian crusade was the only way that Frederick could publicly acknowledge his obedience to the church. Frederick II continued the preparations for the crusade and ordered the host of the crusade to assemble in various parts of Apulia with the port of departure at Brindisi. At the same time of preparing for the crusade many crusaders in the plains Apulia died from the fever and cholera
epidemic which were viewed by the pope viewed as delays and ill preparation of the Emperor. 6 In 1227, when Frederick embarked on the crusade to the Holy Land his doctors and counselors advise him wait for better weather conditions and better health, but Frederick departed on the crusade only to return to Otranto due to a violent fever and heavy sea conditions. 7 When Frederick s news of returning to Otranto reached Pope Gregory IX it was viewed as an attempt to fool the people. As a result, Pope Gregory IX excommunicated Frederick on St Michaels Day (September 30, 1227) and accused him of falsity of statement of being Ill, dishonoring the purpose of the crusade and having an ingratitude heart. For example, a part of letter from Pope Gregory IX to the Apulian Bishops regarding the excommunication of Frederick could be viewed as an exaggeration of Frederick s actions: 8 He (Frederick) breaking all his promises bursting every bond trampling underfoot the fear of God despising all reverence of Christ Jesus scorning the censures of the church, deserting the Christian army, abandoning the Holy Land to the unbelievers to his own disgrace and that of all Christendom withdrew to the luxuries and wonted delights of his Kingdom seeking to palliate his offence by frivolous excuses of simulated sickness.. That we may be esteemed as dumb dogs who do not bark or fear to take vengeance upon hi, The Emperor Frederick who has caused ruin to the people of God we proclaim the said Emperor excommunicated we command you to publish this our excommunication throughout the real and to declare that in case of his contunuancy we shall proceed to still more awful censures 6 Einstein, David G. Emperor Frederick II Pg 215 7 IBID 215 8 Einstein, David G. Emperor Frederick II Pg 219
When Frederick II regained full health and without the approval of the church, he continued his preparations of the crusade at Ravenna, where ordered all clergy in the kingdom to continue to celebrate their Holy offices or face the possibility of imprisonment and confiscation of property for any clergymen who refuses. In addition, Frederick levied a special tax on all churches in the kingdom to be use for the crusade. These actions against the churches and clergy were viewed by Pope Gregory IX as blatant attacks against the church. This resulted in Pope Gregory IX s second excommunication of Frederick II after only three months elapsed from the first excommunication. 9 Even with the excommunication, Frederick II went on his crusade in Jerusalem and was successful in his attempt to make a treaty with the Sultan of Egypt. The terms of the Treaty of Jaffa included the return of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth hand smaller villages to the Christians. In addition, the Church of Sepluchre the proposed burial place of the Lord was returned to the Christians and Temple of Jerusalem and surrounding area remained as a property of the Muslims. Also, the treaty protected the religious rites of both people and pledge that Frederick would hold off any future attacks on the Sultan of Egypt for ten years. As a result of Frederick s actions in Jerusalem resulted in another excommunication on August 19 th 1229 which reiterates old grievances and retaking of Jerusalem in defiance of the church s probation. However, in the following year both Pope Gregory IX and Frederick II entered into peace negotiations and lead to a treat that agreed on the restoration of old territories to the respective parties and the return of confiscated personal property. In 1241, Pope Gregory IX died and an election of a new pope reignited the tensions between Frederick II and the Papacy. The new pope elected to the papacy was Innocent IV in 1243 after the short fifteen day reign of his predecessor Celestine IV. Unlike the previous popes, Innocent IV in the beginning was 9 Einstein, David G. Emperor Frederick II pg 222
determined to bring peace and tranquility to the relationship between Frederick and the Papacy. For example, a treaty was reached between both respective parties which called for Frederick to give up all territory conquered since the excommunication by Gregory IX, release all prelate prisoners and compensate all those who been taken prisoner after the Battle of Melaria. In addition, revolting subjects in Lombardy were to be submitted as an award to the Pope and Council of cardinals. 10 However, the peace negotiations were not fulfilled because Pope Innocent IV had a lack of confidence of the treaty and began his plan to dethrone Frederick. In the city of Lyons, Pope Innocent IV issued a call to kings, princes and prelates to end the insolence and threat of the emperor. In addition, Pope Innocent IV renewed the excommunication of Frederick and included his sons Enzio and Manfred. There were three sessions of the council; the first two sessions allowed people and the Pope to list the list of grievances and violations of Frederick II. Between the second and third session, Frederick was allowed to send his ambassadors to Lyons to counter the grievances. However, Pope Innocent IV called the session seventeen days early from the schedule date and stated that the Emperor: The Sentence of God must precede our sentence; we declare Frederick excommunicated of God and depose him all dignity of Empire and From the Kingdom of Naples. We add our sentence to that of God we excommunicate Frederick and depose him from the dignities of the Empire and the Kingdom of Naples 11 Pope Innocent IV had a hard time finding a rival king to Frederick, so he elected Henry Raspe, The Landgrave of Thuringia who was short lived. However, the Pope did find a rival king in William of Holland who was crowned on October 3, 1247. After three years of war between 10 Einstein, David G. Emperor Frederick II pg 376 11 Einstein, David G. Emperor Frederick II New York 1963 pg 390
Innocent IV to regain his throne, Frederick lost is battle and died on December 13, 1250. As a result, Innocent IV was able to return to Rome and the House of Hohenstaufen came to an end. The disputes between Frederick II and the Papacy are an interesting period in history, due to the constant political struggles over the power of the church or state. Many Historians believed that the Frederick s II was a result of his guardian Innocent III s actions to undermine his mothers rule as regent by reversing all the policies to limit the churches authority after his fathers death as a key insult and cause for Frederick s unrest and disloyalty to the Papacy and Church.
Bibliography: Abulafia, David. Frederick II: A Medieval Emperor. Penquin Press. New York 1988 Einstein, David G. Emperor Frederick II. Philosophical Library. New York 1963. Kantorowicz, Ernest. Frederick the Second 1194-1250. Frederick Ugar Publishing Co, New York 1957. Prybus, H.J. The Emperor Frederick II and the Sicilian Church Cambridge Historical Journal Vol 3 NO 2 pgs 134-163. 7/12/11 http:// www.jstor.org/stable/3020704