Your Opinions on Innocent III (1198–1216)?

[Pangur Bán]

Innocent III (1198–1216) was elected pope at the age of 36 years old...making him one of the youngest popes ever. He is credited with reunifying the papal states, presiding over the minority of Frederick II which he successfully protected, launching the infamous 4th, "Albigensian" and 5th Crusades and convening the 4th Lateran Council. All the great princes of Christendom acknowledged his authority in some form...King John of England swore him homage and paid him tribute. According to the writer of the entry for the Columbia Encyclopedia, "Innocent was also the virtual overlord of Christian Spain, Scandinavia, Hungary, and the Latin East. Philip II of France remained independent of Innocent politically. On the moral question of Philip’s divorce, however, Innocent forced the king to bow to the canon law."

I don't think anyone can doubt that Innocent was a great man.

However, the question is, how would you evaluate his reign?


Innocent III: Catholic Encyclopedia

Innocent III: Wikipedia

Innocent III: Columbia Encyclopedia

 

[bigfatron]

The Albigensian crusade was an act of genocide against an avowedly pacifist sect that was shocking even by the bloody standards of the time and was the direct forerunner of the Inquisition that inflicted such misery on medieval Europe.

Innocent was a dictator dedicated to the furtherance of church power at any cost - in that sense (i.e. that of an absolute monarch with no regard to the welfare of his subjects) he was a good pope. But I expect a little more morality from a pope than I do from Genghis....

 

[Stefan Haertel]

What bigfatron said. He was responsible for genocide, and he was a moste reactionary politician (if modern-day standarts can be carried over to Medieval ones). He might have been responsivle for the fact that Europe took more time to develop and get out of the Middle Ages.

And he was a pope. 'nuff said.

 

[Hitro]

I agree with the two posts above mine. One of the worst "leaders" in history.

 

[Lazarus Plus]

Innocent was a man who failed utterly in everything he tried. That "crusade" against the heretics certainly did attract attention away from his failed reign and waning power though. Nice job, Innocent. :

 

[thestonesfan]

Like Britney, he was not that innocent.

 

[aaminion00]

Ugh, I don't like him at all. His treatment of heretics was even worse than usual.

 

[TrailblazingScot]

Originally posted by aaminion00
Ugh, I don't like him at all. His treatment of heretics was even worse than usual.

Infidels renounce or die!!!

However, the fact remains that whilst the Pope may have ordered the suppression of heresy, he did not actually conduct it. The manner in which heresy was put down was not necessarily that which the Pope would have wanted.

At the same time, these were very brutal times and if Christianity as an organised religion was going to endure stern measures had to be taken against threats internal and external.


Considering the level of competition, this may be the greatest Pope of all time...he expanded the power of the Church, enforced belief and weakened German power in Italy, not bad

All things considered, the Cathars had it good whilst the enemies of Pope Innocent III as compared to Gregory IX, such is the quality of these men in history.