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History of Urcea (1098-1214): Difference between revisions
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The political authority of the Pope reached a new high after the death of King Niall I. The two child kings, Riordan III (1146-47) and Niall II (1147-53) were unable to impose their will on the Pontiff. At this time, the Popes began to impose a toll on all business on the Esquiline River, effectively imposing a tariff on most commerce coming in and out of Urceopolis. The Popes also had significant influence on affairs within the [[Julian Palace]], as the regents for Riordan III and Niall II were largely in place with the support of the Pope. The subsequent interregnum of 1153-56 allowed the Pope to de facto govern much of southern Urcea until the coronation of Seán Aleckán as King Seán I in [[1156]]. King Seán's reign is generally considered to be the nadir of Urceo-Papal relations. | The political authority of the Pope reached a new high after the death of King Niall I. The two child kings, Riordan III (1146-47) and Niall II (1147-53) were unable to impose their will on the Pontiff. At this time, the Popes began to impose a toll on all business on the Esquiline River, effectively imposing a tariff on most commerce coming in and out of Urceopolis. The Popes also had significant influence on affairs within the [[Julian Palace]], as the regents for Riordan III and Niall II were largely in place with the support of the Pope. The subsequent interregnum of 1153-56 allowed the Pope to de facto govern much of southern Urcea until the coronation of Seán Aleckán as King Seán I in [[1156]]. King Seán's reign is generally considered to be the nadir of Urceo-Papal relations. | ||
Seán abrogated the earlier Papal toll in [[1157]] and ejected those officers exacting tolls and tariffs harshly. In response, the Pope withheld recognition of the new King. Rumors reached Seán that the Pope was raising an army from Transurciana that would cross the river and depose Seán, and accordingly the King began to raise his Royal Army. Historians are divided if the rumors of a Papal invasion were true, but once news reached the Vatican that a Royal Army was being raised in opposition to the Pope, the residents of the city rose in open revolt against the Pope. Although the Pope's spiritual authority and some political authority was recognized, the rebels successfully induced the Pope to recognize a new civilian government in the Papal State, reorganizing the civil administration along the lines of the Creagmer republics with the appointment of a First Patrician. The new "Esquiline Commune" suited Seán's interests, and the King openly provided funding and arms to the rebels throughout [[1158]] and afterwards. The Pope attempted to raise an army from Transurciana to depose the Communal government in [[1162]] and was defeated. Seán ignored numerous requests of support from the Pope, and in [[1164]] he introduced a toll on any business going into or out of the Papal State and Duchy of Transurciana along the Urce or Esquiline Rivers. | Seán abrogated the earlier Papal toll in [[1157]] and ejected those officers exacting tolls and tariffs harshly. In response, the Pope withheld recognition of the new King. Rumors reached Seán that the Pope was raising an army from Transurciana that would cross the river and depose Seán, and accordingly the King began to raise his Royal Army. Historians are divided if the rumors of a Papal invasion were true, but once news reached the Vatican that a Royal Army was being raised in opposition to the Pope, the residents of the city rose in open revolt against the Pope. Although the Pope's spiritual authority and some political authority was recognized, the rebels successfully induced the Pope to recognize a new civilian government in the Papal State, reorganizing the civil administration along the lines of the Creagmer republics with the appointment of a First Patrician. The new "[[Esquiline Commune]]" suited Seán's interests, and the King openly provided funding and arms to the rebels throughout [[1158]] and afterwards. The Pope attempted to raise an army from Transurciana to depose the Communal government in [[1162]] and was defeated. Seán ignored numerous requests of support from the Pope, and in [[1164]] he introduced a toll on any business going into or out of the Papal State and Duchy of Transurciana along the Urce or Esquiline Rivers. | ||
[[File:Weltchronik Fulda Aa88 243r detail.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Illness, and so-called "bad omens", made King Seán I reconsider his actions relative to the Papacy.]] | [[File:Weltchronik Fulda Aa88 243r detail.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Illness, and so-called "bad omens", made King Seán I reconsider his actions relative to the Papacy.]] | ||
After decades of support, Seán openly recognized the Esquiline Commune in June 1174. The Commune announced the deposition of the Pope and offered the King tribute. Along with this recognition, he launched an invasion of the Duchy of Transurciana in July 1174, defeating the local magnates there and exacting tribute. His actions induced the Pope to flee north to [[Carolina]] briefly and incurred an excommunication. In response, Seán created an {{wp|Antipope}}, "Pope" Urban III, who legitimized the King's new authority. For about three years in the 1170s, Seán I was undisputed master of the [[Urce River]] valley and the [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]] area. However, beginning in late [[1175]], his health began to deteriorate, and contemporary historians say that the King experienced a number of "poor omens" from around October 1175 through late 1176, culminating in the death of his wife Edelbera on 13 November 1176. These, combined with his own poor health, convinced King Seán I to reverse course in an effort to save his mortal soul. Accordingly, Seán deposed Antipope Urban III and the Royal Army besieged the Esquiline Commune on 1 December 1176, while Seán was forced to travel on foot to [[Carolina]] to see the Pope in person. In addition to his penance, Seán also brought with him an amount of gold equivalent to the tribute exacted from Transurciana in 1174. After this humiliation, Seán's excommunication was lifted. The Esquiline Commune surrendered on 27 February 1177 and the Pope returned to the Vatican at that time. The siege had led to mass starvation in the area, causing economic devastation in the Urceopolis area that would not abate until around 1190. King Seán I died in [[1178]] in full union with the [[Catholic Church]]. The Royal-Papal feuding of his reign had chastened both sides, with subsequent Kings and Popes deliberately working to avoid the level of enmity that had characterized his reign. From this point until the [[Great Interregnum]], Royal-Papal relations were generally good, with a degree of tribute paid annually from Transurciana to the Apostolic King but the Pope's authority being otherwise respected. Free trade on the Esquiline and Urcean rivers were established, ending the "toll wars" that characterized the 1150s and 1160s. Some historians have described the 12th century as both the Julians and the Papacy encountering the new political reality and struggling to find the appropriate balance between them. | After decades of support, Seán openly recognized the Esquiline Commune in June 1174. The Commune announced the deposition of the Pope and offered the King tribute. Along with this recognition, he launched an invasion of the Duchy of Transurciana in July 1174, defeating the local magnates there and exacting tribute. His actions induced the Pope to flee north to [[Carolina]] briefly and incurred an excommunication. In response, Seán created an {{wp|Antipope}}, "Pope" Urban III, who legitimized the King's new authority. For about three years in the 1170s, Seán I was undisputed master of the [[Urce River]] valley and the [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]] area. However, beginning in late [[1175]], his health began to deteriorate, and contemporary historians say that the King experienced a number of "poor omens" from around October 1175 through late 1176, culminating in the death of his wife Edelbera on 13 November 1176. These, combined with his own poor health, convinced King Seán I to reverse course in an effort to save his mortal soul. Accordingly, Seán deposed Antipope Urban III and the Royal Army besieged the Esquiline Commune on 1 December 1176, while Seán was forced to travel on foot to [[Carolina]] to see the Pope in person. In addition to his penance, Seán also brought with him an amount of gold equivalent to the tribute exacted from Transurciana in 1174. After this humiliation, Seán's excommunication was lifted. The Esquiline Commune surrendered on 27 February 1177 and the Pope returned to the Vatican at that time. The siege had led to mass starvation in the area, causing economic devastation in the Urceopolis area that would not abate until around 1190. King Seán I died in [[1178]] in full union with the [[Catholic Church]]. The Royal-Papal feuding of his reign had chastened both sides, with subsequent Kings and Popes deliberately working to avoid the level of enmity that had characterized his reign. From this point until the [[Great Interregnum]], Royal-Papal relations were generally good, with a degree of tribute paid annually from Transurciana to the Apostolic King but the Pope's authority being otherwise respected. Free trade on the Esquiline and Urcean rivers were established, ending the "toll wars" that characterized the 1150s and 1160s. Some historians have described the 12th century as both the Julians and the Papacy encountering the new political reality and struggling to find the appropriate balance between them. | ||