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 GREGORY

800

GREGORY

Like the preceding popes of Avignon, Gregory XI made the fatal mistake of appointing Frenchmen, who did not understand the Itahans and whom the Ital- ians hated, as legates and governors of the ecclesias- tical provinces in Italy. The Florentines, moreover, feared that a strengthening of the papal power in Italy would impair their own prestige in Central Italy and allied themselves with Bernabo in July, 1375. Both Bernabo and the Florentines tliil their utmost to stir up an insurrection in the pontifical territory among all those that were dissatisfied with the papal legates in Italy. They w-ere so successful that within a short time the entire Patrimony of St. Peter was up in arms against the pope. Highly incensed at the seditious proceedings of the Florentines, Gregory XI imposed an extremely severe punishment upon them. He put Florence under interdict, excommunicated its inhabit- ants, and outlawed them and their possessions. The financial loss which the Florentines sustained thereby was inestimable. They sent St. Catherine of Siena to intercede for them with Gregory XI, but frustrated her efforts by continuing their hostilities against the pope. In the midst of these disturbances Gregory XI, yielding to the urgent prayers of St. Catherine, decided to remove the papal see to Rome, despite the protests of the French King and the majority of the cardinals. He left Avignon on 13 September, 1376, boarded the ship at Marseilles on 2 October, and came Ijy way of Genoa to Corneto on 6 December. Here he remained until arrangements were made in Rome concerning its future government. On 13 January, 1377, he left

Corneto, landed at Ostia on the following day, and sailed up the Tiber to the monastery of San Paolo, from where he solemnly made his entrance into Rome on 17 January. But his return to Rome did not put an end to the hostilities. The notorious massacre of Cesena, which was ordered by Cardinal Robert of Geneva (afterwards Antipope Clement VII), embit- tered the Italians still more against the pope. The continuous riots in Rome induced Gregory Xl to re- move to Anagni towards the end of May, 1377. He gradually quelled the commotion and returned to Rome on 7 Nov., 1377, where he died while a congress of peace was in process at Sarzano. Gregory XI was the last pope of French nationality. He was learned and pious, though not free from nepotism. In 1374 he approved the Order of the Spanish Hermits of St. Jerome, and on 22 May, 1377, he issued five Bulls in which the errors of Wyclif were condemned. He was so disgusted with the conditions at Rome that only death prevented him from retm-ning to Avignon. The Great Schism began after his death.

Baluze, Vilae Paparum Avenion. (Paris, 1693), 452-486, 1059-1234; Gherardi, La guerra dei Fiorentini con Papa GregoHo XI, delta la guerra degli Olio Sanli (Florence, 1868); ScHOLZ, Die Riickkehr Gregors XI. von Avignon nach Rom. (Hirschberg, 1S84); Kirsch, Die Riickkehr der Papsle Urban V. und GregorXI. (P.aderborn, 1898); Pastor, Gesch. der Papsle Beit dem Ausgang des Miltelallers, 4th ed. (Freiburg, 1901), 101-114,tr.,ANTROBns (London, 1891), I, 100-116; Tomaseth, Die Register iind Secrelare Urbans V. und Gregors XI. mMiltheil- vngen des Insliluts oeslerr. Gesehichtsjorsch. (1898), XIX, 417- 470; Drane, The Ili-slory of St. Catherine of Siena, 3rd ed. (New York, 1899), passim.

Michael Ott.