Papal State: Difference between revisions

===Decline===

The general loss of cachet and prestige of the Pope continued after the Esquiline Commune affair. His position was weakened greatly by it, not only by the gradual loss of vassals but also as a result of the office's declining standing as a temporal ruler. Various financial shortfalls during the 14th century - generated by economic devestation wrought in the lands of the former Commune - required the Pope to sell off some of his vassalage rights in the [[Duchy of Transurciana]] to either the Urcean crown or its vassals, decreasing the territorial domains of the Pope. Additionally, in [[1207]], the King-Emperor Niall I [[History_of_Urcea_(1098-1214)#End_of_the_House_of_Harren|issued the Golden Bull of 1207]], which added nine Bishop-electors to the [[Collegial Electorate]] while dramatically reducing the autonomy of Transurciana and also truncating its lands. Though protesting privately, {{Wp|Pope Innocent III}} accepted this exchange due to the new significant influence in Imperial politics it gave the Church. Throughout the remainder of the 13th century and the first decades of the 14th century, Papal lands continued to diminish through similar diplomatic deals as well as military engagements with Urcean vassals. A sudden change of fortune took place in [[1339]], however, as the [[Saint's War]] produced a [[History_of_Urcea_(1214-1402)#Great_Interregnum|Great Interregnum]] in which no member of the [[Julian dynasty]] conclusively established themselves as [[Apostolic King of Urcea]]. During this period, the local nobles of Urceopolis revolted and installed {{wp|Pope Benedict XII}} as protector of the city, effectively giving the Papacy control over all of Urceopolis. From this position, the Pope temporarily revitalized his position in Transurciana by establishing overlordship of Urcean vassals rather than his own. This last zenith of power would reach an end in [[1402]] as the Saint's War came to an end and the Pope was forced to cede back Urceopolis to the new King, Lucás II. The slight revitalization allowed the Pope to retain some power throughout the remainder of the 15th century.

The 16th century would prove disastrous for both the temporal and spiritual authority of the Pope. The outbreak of the {{wp|Protestant Reformation}} inaugurated a period of religious turmoil which undermined Papal authority in religious matters significantly as portions of Levantine society became Protestant. In [[1546]], the first of the Protestant [[History_of_Urcea_(1402-1575)#Ronanid_reign|Ronanids]] took control of Urcea. Though initially pledging toleration, the Pope was induced to flee [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]] in [[1548]], thereby abandoning his domains which were seized by the crown as were most monastic lands and other ecclesiastical properties. The [[Emperor of the Levantines]] responded by giving all territories {{wp|Imperial immediacy}}, functionally destroying the constitutional order established by the first Emperor in the 8th century. This act also functionally dissolved the Duchy of Transurciana, though the ensuing [[Catholic League]] promised to restore those lands held directly by the Pope. The [[Great Confessional War]] would culminate with the Pope's restoration in Urceopolis in [[1565]]. Per an agreement between the Pope and new King, [[Leo III, Emperor of the Levantines|Leo II]], all direct Papal territories were restored as were many negotiated taxing agreements between the Pope and various cities, but the Duchy of Transurciana was not restored, effectively ending the Pope's political authority within Urcea. Most, but not all, Church lands were restored as well; some were retained by the Crown for use in reestablishing a Catholic nobility but many were repurposed as [[Housing_in_Urcea#Religious_war_period|productive lands to be used for the first Ómestaderoi]]. The Papacy in 1600 was restored in Urceopolis and religious authority largely reasserted, but it would never again have the direct temporal authority it had enjoyed in the high medieval period.

===River Concordat of 1815===

In [[Urcea]], King Niall V took the throne in [[1809]] and inaugurated a wave of reforms. As part of his reforming mindset, the King was temperamentally inclined to resolve the Papal question for its own sake; the Pope's proposal to remove the jurisdiction of the [[Imperial Inquisition]] from the country was an additional benefit. The King personally traveled to the Vatican to conduct negotiations as a sign of respect on an almost daily basis between August 1814 and January 1815. Besides Urcea's formal recognition of the Papal State as a completely sovereign entity and cession of some lands in [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]] to the Pope, there were several issues that needed to be negotiated, including: the precise nature of the new State's borders; the status of extra-Urceopolitan Papal estates; access of the Papal State to the sea, and; incomes and tributes owed to the Papacy by cities and territories within Urcea. The issue of precise borders was left to the end of the negotiation.  

The Pope's various estates beyond Urceopolis was the first issue resolved. All territories and estates outside of the boundaries of the Papal State in Urceopolis would be ceded to Urcea. All major {{wp|Papal basilica}}s in the greater Urceopolis area would be afforded {{wp|Extraterritoriality|extraterritorial status}}, as would a number of administrative structures in Urceopolis itself. Any farm estate, manor, or other territory smaller than 500 acres and with less than a thousand inhabitants would remain personal property of the Holy See while being converted to {{wp|Freehold (law)|freehold deeded properties}} rather than feudal manorial lands. Any properties larger than 500 acres or with more than a thousand inhabitants were ceded directly to the Urcean Crown in exchange for financial compensation to be determined after a survey that would occur in [[1818]] through [[1820]].