CHAP. VII. DEATH OF EUGENIUS III. 407 CHAPTER VII. HADRIAN IV.-FREDERICK BARBAROSSA. In the same year with Bernard died the friend of Bernard, the Cistercian Pope, Eugenius III. He had returned to Italy after the departure of the crusade. He took up his abode, not at Rome, but at first at Viterbo, Nov. 30, afterwards at Tusculum. There was a period of April 8, hostility, probably of open war, with the republic 1149. at Rome. But the temper or the policy of Eugenius led him to milder measures. The republic disclaimed Nov. 28, not the spiritual supremacy of the Pope, and 1149. Eugenius scrupled not to enter the city only as its bishop, not as its Lord. The first time he remained not long, and retired into Campania; the second time, the year before his death, the skilful and well-timed Dec. 9, use of means more becoming the Head of Chris- 1152. tendom than arms and excommunications wrought wonders in his favour; by his gentleness, his lavish generosity, his magnificence (he built a palace near St. Peter's, another at Segni), and his charity, he was slowly supplanting the senate in the popular attachment: the fierce and intractable people were yielding to this gentler influence. Arnold of Brescia found his power gradually Sept. 7, wasting away from the silent counter-working of the clergy, from the fickleness, perhaps the reasonable disappointment of the people, who yearned again for the glory, the advantage of being the religious capital of the world-the centre of pilgrimage, of curiosity, of traffic, of business, from all parts of the world. The Archbishops of Cologne and Mentz came in all their pomp and extravagance of expenditure to Rome; for the first time they He was at Alba, June; at Segni, October?; Ferentino, November, December, part of 1152. Then again at Segni.-Cardin. Arragon in Vit. He 1152. is also said to have recovered some parts of the papal domains. From whom? Eugenius, in the were sent back with their treasures. spirit of an ancient Roman, or a true Cistercian, refused their magnificent offerings, or rather their bribes. It may be questioned whether the republicans of Rome were the most sincere admirers of this unwonted contempt of riches shown by the Pope. The death of Eugenius alone preserved the republic from an earlier but less violent fate July 7, 1153. than it suffered at last. He died at Tivoli, but Eugenius. his remains were received in Rome with the utmost respect, and buried in the Vatican. The fame of miraculous cures around his tomb showed how strong the Pope still remained in the affections and reverence of the common people. Death of The Republic, true to its principles, did not, like the turbulent Roman nobles, or the heads of factions in the former century, interfere, either by force or intrigue, in the election of the Popes. The cardinals quietly raised Conrad, Bishop of Sabina, a Roman by birth, to the pontifical chair with the name of Anastasius IV. On Hadrian IV. Dec. 4. Dec. 2, 1154. the death of Anastasius, after, it should seem, a peaceful rule of one year and five months, the only Englishman who ever filled the papal chair was raised to the supremacy over Christendom. Nicolas Breakspeare, born, according to one account, at St. Albans, wandered forth from his country in search of learning; he was received into a monastery at Arles; became a brother, prior, abbot. He went to Rome on the affairs of his community, and so won the favour of the Pope Eugenius that he was detained in his court, was raised to the cardinalate, undertook a mission as legate to Norway, and, something in the character of the old English apostles of Germany, confirmed that hard-won kingdom in its "Nova res. Quando hactenus aurum Roma refudit?"-Bernard. de Consid. iii. 3. "Et nisi esset mors æmula, quæ illum cito de medio rapuit, senatores noviter procreatos populi adminiculo usurpata dignitate privasset." - Romuald. Salern. in Chron. d Cardinal Arragon in Vitâ. He was Bishop of Alba. Perhaps the notion of his birth at St. Alban's arose from his being called Albanus. Norway was slowly converted, not by preachers or bishops, but by her kings; by Harold the Fair-haired; Hacon Athelstan, Olaf Trigvesen-Saint Olafnot with apostolic persuasion, but with the Mahommedan proselytism of the sword. And a strange, wild Christianity it was, worthy of its origin; but it softened down by degrees into Christianity.-See Bishop Munter, Einführung des Christenthums in Dänemark und Norwegen, latter part of vol. i. CHAP. VII. NICOLAS BREAKSPEARE. 409 allegiance to the see of Rome. Nicolas Breakspeare was a man of exemplary morals, high fame for learning, and great eloquence; and now the poor English scholar, homeless, except in the home which he found in the hospitable convent; friendless, except among the friends which he has made by his abilities, his virtues, and his piety; with no birth or connections to advance his claims; is become the Head of Christendom--the Lord of Rome, which surrenders her liberties before his feet; the Pontiff from whose hands the mightiest and proudest Emperor is glad to receive his crown! What pride, what hopes, might such a promotion awaken in the lowest of the sacerdotal order throughout Christendom! In remote England not a youthful scholar but may have had visions of pontifical grandeur! This at all times wonderful, how much more so in the age of feudalism, in which the pride of birth was paramount! Ireland. Nor did Hadrian IV. yield to any of his loftiest predecessors in his assertion of the papal dignity; he was surpassed by few in the boldness and courage with which he maintained it. The views of unlimited power which opened before the new pontiff appear most manifestly in his grant of Ireland to Henry II. of England. English pride Grant of might mingle with sacerdotal ambition in this boon A.D. 1155. of a new kingdom to his native sovereign. The language of the grant developed principles as yet unheard in Christendom. The Popes had assumed the feudal sovereignty of Naples and Sicily, as in some vague way the successors to the power of Imperial Rome. But Hadrian declared that Ireland and all islands converted to Christianity belonged to the special jurisdiction of St. Peter. He assumed the right of sanctioning the invasion, on the ground of its advancing civilisation and propagating a purer faith among the barbarous and ignorant people. The tribute of Peter's pence from the conquered island was to be the reward of the Pope's munificence in granting the island to the English, and his recognition of Henry's sovereignty. The prophetic ambition of Hadrian might seem to have anticipated the time, when on such "Sanè Hiberniam et omnes insulas, quibus Sol justitiæ Christus illuxit, et quæ documenta fidei Christianæ receperunt, ad jus B. Patri et sacrosanctæ Romanæ ecclesiæ, quod tua etiam nobilitas recognoscit, non est dubium pertinere."- Rymer, Fœdera, i. 19; Wilken, Concil. i. 426; Radulf de Diceto. principles the Popes should assume the power of granting away new worlds. But Hadrian had first to bring rebellious Rome under his sway. The mild measures of Pope Eugenius had undermined the power of Arnold of Brescia. Hadrian had the courage to confront him with open hostility. He vouchsafed no answer to the haughty demands of the republic to recognise its authority; he pronounced sentence of banishment from the city against Arnold himself. Arnold denied the power of the Pope to issue such sentence. But an opportunity soon occurred in which Hadrian, without exceeding his spiritual power, bowed the whole rebellious people under his feet. The Cardinal of San Pudenziana, on his way to the Pope, who was in the palace raised on the Vatican by Eugenius III., encountered a tumult of the populace, and received a mortal wound. Hadrian instantly placed the whole city under an interdict. Rome for the first time was deprived of all its religious ceremonies. No procession moved through the silent streets; the people thronged around the closed doors of the churches; the clergy, their functions entirely suspended, had nothing to do but to inflame the minds of the populace. Easter was drawing on; no mass would atone for, no absolution release them from their sins. Religion triumphed over liberty. The clergy and the people compelled the senate to yield. Hadrian would admit of no lower terms than the abrogation of the republican institutions; the banishment of Arnold and his adherents. The republic was at Republic. an end, Arnold an exile; the Pope again master in Rome. Rome under interdict. Easter, March 27, 1155. Fall of the But all this time great events were passing in the north of Italy; events which, however in some respects menacing to Pope Hadrian, might encourage him in his inflexible hostility to the republicans of Rome. On the death of 8 Compare the curious account given by John of Salisbury of conversations with Pope Hadrian, with whom, on account probably of his English connections, he may have been on intimate terms. The condition of the Pope is most laborious, is most miserable. "Si enim avaritiæ servit, mors ei est. Sin autem, non effugiat manus et linguas Romanorum. Nisi enim noscat unde obstruat eorum ora manusque cohibeat, ad flagitia et sacrilegia perferenda omnes oculos duret et animam . . . nisi servirent, aut ex-Pontificem, aut ex-Romanum esse necesse est."- Polycratic. L. viii. p. 324 and 366, edit. Giles. CHAP. VII. FREDERICK BARBAROSSA. 411 Conrad, Germany with one consent had placed the crown on the head of the great Hohenstaufen prince, Frederick his nephew, Frederick Barbarossa. If the Barbarossa. Papacy under Hadrian had resumed all its haughty authority, the Empire was wielded with a terrible force, which it had hardly ever displayed before. Frederick was a prince of intrepid valour, consummate prudence, unmeasured ambition, justice which hardened into severity, the ferocity of a barbarian somewhat tempered with a high chivalrous gallantry; above all with a strength of character which subjugated alike the great temporal and ecclesiastical princes of Germany; and was prepared to assert the imperial rights in Italy to the utmost. Of the constitutional rights of the Emperor, of his unlimited supremacy, his absolute independence of, his temporal superiority over, all other powers, even that of the Pope, Frederick proclaimed the loftiest notions. He was to the empire what Hildebrand and Innocent were to the popedom. His power was of God alone; to assert that it is bestowed by the successor of St. Peter was a lie, and directly contrary to the doctrine of St. Peter.h In the autumn of the year of Hadrian's accession Frederick descended the Alps by the valley of the Trent. Never had a more imposing might assembled around any of his predecessors than around Frederick on the plains of Roncaglia. He came to receive the iron crown of Italy from the Lombards, the imperial crown from the End of NoPope at Rome. He had summoned all the feu- vember, 1154. datories of the Empire, all the feudatories of Italy, to his banner, declaring himself determined to enforce the forfeiture of their fiefs if they refused to obey. The Bishops of Crema and of Halberstadt were deprived, as as contumacious, for their lives, of their temporalities. The great prelates of Germany, instead of fomenting disturb "Quum per electionem principum a solo Deo regnum et imperium nostrum sit, qui in passione Christi filii sui duobus gladiis necessariis regendum orbem subjecit, quumque Petrus Apostolus hac doctrinâ mundum informaverit: Deum timete, regem honorificate; quicunque nos imperialem coronam pro beneficio a domino Papa suscepisse dixerit, divinæ institutioni et doctrinæ Petri contrarius est et mendacii reus est."-Otho Freisingen, apud Muratori, vi. 709. Compare Eichhorn on the Constitution of the Empire, from the Swabische Spiegel and the Sachsische Spiegel, ii. pp. 364, et seq. i Muratori, Ann. d'Italia sub ann. |