Avignon and Its Papacy, 1309–1417

Joe¨lle Rollo-Koster is professor of medieval history at the University of Rhode Island and author of Raiding Saint Peter: Empty Sees, Violence, and the Initiation of the Great Western Schism and The People of Curial Avignon: A Critical Edition of the Liber Divisionis and the Matriculae of Notre Dame la Majour. She has been named a Chevalier of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques in recognition of her outstanding academic research in French history.

• Author’s Note Maps IntroductionNotes Chapter One: Early Popes –Before Clement: Boniface VIII, Philip the Fair, and Rome –Clement V: French Puppet or Able Diplomat? –The Past Catching Up: Boniface and the Templars –Why Not Return to Rome? –Centralization: John XXII –Satanic Beginnings –The Franciscan Poverty Debate and Its European Implication –Beatific Vision –Monasticization: Benedict XII –Staying in Avignon–Notes Chapter Two: Papal Monarchy –How to Be Pope: The Papal Monarchy of Clement VI –Clement VI and Rome: Cola di Rienzo –Clement VI and Joanna of Naples –Clement VI and Italy: Milan and Louis of Bavaria –Clement VI: Arbiter of the Hundred Years’ War –The Arrival of the Black Death –Clement VI: The Humanist –Lawyer and Conqueror: Innocent VI –The Lands of St. Peter –The Hundred Years’ War: Poitiers and Its Aftermath –The Free Companies in Provence –Holy Roman Empire–Notes Chapter Three: Returning to Rome –Urban V –A Fastidious Man –How t

In this survey of the Avignon papacy and the period of the Great Western Schism (1378–1417), Rollo-Koster sets out to ‘rehabilitate’ the Avignon papacy from a reputation that began as early as Petrarch’s criticism of Avignon as ‘the Babylon of the West.’ Although the author acknowledges the Avignon popes’ emphasis on ‘efficient productivity’ rather than spirituality, she shows that their institutional achievements, including an effective bureaucracy, a centralized fiscal system, and the development of archives and recording procedures, were innovative and provided long-term stability. She credits much of this to Pope John XXII (r. 1316–1334), ‘an administrative genius’ and the ‘architect of papal centralization’ who established the foundations on which his successors built. Rollo-Koster further challenges the view that the Avignon papacy turned its back on Rome; rather, it recognized the temporary status of its residence and sought to return to Rome, even as it transformed the village of Avignon into a cosmopolitan city and a spiritual capital. Employing her familiarity with Avignon’s archives and the streets of the city, Rollo-Koster provides English readers with a valuable introduction to a dynamic, if controversial, period in papal history. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries.