Pope Celestine IV
Encyclopedia
Pope Celestine IV born Goffredo da Castiglione, was pope
from October 25, 1241 to November 10, 1241.
Born in Milan
, Goffredo or Godfrey is often referred to as son of a sister of Pope Urban III
(1185–87), but this information is without foundation. His early life is unknown until he became chancellor of the church of Milan (perhaps as early as 1219, certainly in 1223–27). Pope Gregory IX
(1227–41) made him a cardinal September 18, 1227 http://www.fiu.edu/~mirandas/consistories-xiii.htm, with the cure of San Marco, and in 1228–29 sent him as legate in Lombardy and Tuscany, where the cities and communes
had generally remained true to the Hohenstaufen
emperor, Frederick II
, in an attempt to bring them around to the curial side, without success (Lex. der Mittelalters). In 1238 he was made cardinal bishop of Sabina (Pallavicini Bagliani 1972).
The papal election of 1241
that elected him was held under stringent conditions that hastened his death. The papal curia was disunited over the violent struggle to bring the Emperor and King of Sicily Frederick II, to heel. One group of cardinals favored the ambitious schemes of the Gregorian Reform
, and aimed to humble Frederick II as a papal vassal. Frederick II however controlled as his unwilling guests in Tivoli
two cardinals whom he had captured at sea, and in Rome Cardinal Giovanni Colonna was his ally, largely because the curia were in the hands of the Colonna archenemy, the senator Matteo Rosso Orsini
, who held the consistory immured under his guards in the ramshackle palace of the Septizodium, where rains leaked through the roof of their chamber, mingled with the urine of Orsini's guards on the rooftiles (Abulafia 1988, p 350). One of the cardinals fell ill and died.
One group, which included Sinibaldo de' Fieschi (soon to be Pope Innocent IV
) backed a candidate from the inner circle of Pope Gregory IX
expected to pursue the hard line with Frederick II. Another group advocated a moderated middle course, not allies of the Hohenstaufen, but keen to reach an end to the Italian war. Overtures to Frederick II, however, were met with the impossible demand, that if they wished the cardinals in his hands to return to Rome, they must elect as Pope one of them, Otto of St. Nicholas, an amenable compromise figure. Matteo Orsini's candidate was also unacceptable, Romano da Porto, who had persecuted scholars at the University of Paris
and had conducted himself in unseemly fashion in the presence of the Queen Mother.
The cardinal bishop of Sabina was finally elected Pope Celestine IV by seven cardinals only, on October 25, 1241. He occupied the throne for only seventeen days, his only notable papal act being the timely excommunication of Matteo Orsini, and died, before consecration, of wear and age, on November 10, 1241, and was buried in St Peter's.
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
from October 25, 1241 to November 10, 1241.
Born in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Goffredo or Godfrey is often referred to as son of a sister of Pope Urban III
Pope Urban III
Pope Urban III , born Uberto Crivelli, was Pope from 1185 to 1187. He was made cardinal and archbishop of Milan by Pope Lucius III, whom he succeeded on November 25, 1185...
(1185–87), but this information is without foundation. His early life is unknown until he became chancellor of the church of Milan (perhaps as early as 1219, certainly in 1223–27). Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX, born Ugolino di Conti, was pope from March 19, 1227 to August 22, 1241.The successor of Pope Honorius III , he fully inherited the traditions of Pope Gregory VII and of his uncle Pope Innocent III , and zealously continued their policy of Papal supremacy.-Early life:Ugolino was...
(1227–41) made him a cardinal September 18, 1227 http://www.fiu.edu/~mirandas/consistories-xiii.htm, with the cure of San Marco, and in 1228–29 sent him as legate in Lombardy and Tuscany, where the cities and communes
Medieval commune
Medieval communes in the European Middle Ages had sworn allegiances of mutual defense among the citizens of a town or city. They took many forms, and varied widely in organization and makeup. Communes are first recorded in the late 11th and early 12th centuries, thereafter becoming a widespread...
had generally remained true to the Hohenstaufen
Hohenstaufen
The House of Hohenstaufen was a dynasty of German kings in the High Middle Ages, lasting from 1138 to 1254. Three of these kings were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In 1194 the Hohenstaufens also became Kings of Sicily...
emperor, Frederick II
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
, in an attempt to bring them around to the curial side, without success (Lex. der Mittelalters). In 1238 he was made cardinal bishop of Sabina (Pallavicini Bagliani 1972).
The papal election of 1241
Papal election, 1241
The papal election from September 21 to October 25, 1241 elected Cardinal Goffredo da Castiglione as Pope Celestine IV. The election took place during the first of many protracted sede vacantes of the Middle Ages, and like many of them was characterized by disputes between popes and the Holy Roman...
that elected him was held under stringent conditions that hastened his death. The papal curia was disunited over the violent struggle to bring the Emperor and King of Sicily Frederick II, to heel. One group of cardinals favored the ambitious schemes of the Gregorian Reform
Gregorian Reform
The Gregorian Reforms were a series of reforms initiated by Pope Gregory VII and the circle he formed in the papal curia, circa 1050–80, which dealt with the moral integrity and independence of the clergy...
, and aimed to humble Frederick II as a papal vassal. Frederick II however controlled as his unwilling guests in Tivoli
Tivoli, Italy
Tivoli , the classical Tibur, is an ancient Italian town in Lazio, about 30 km east-north-east of Rome, at the falls of the Aniene river where it issues from the Sabine hills...
two cardinals whom he had captured at sea, and in Rome Cardinal Giovanni Colonna was his ally, largely because the curia were in the hands of the Colonna archenemy, the senator Matteo Rosso Orsini
Matteo Rosso Orsini
Matteo Rosso Orsini , called the Great, was Roman politician and father of Pope Nicholas III. He was named a senator of the City of Rome by Pope Gregory IX in 1241: In this capacity he took a firm stand against the ventures in Italy of Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, and defeated him in 1243...
, who held the consistory immured under his guards in the ramshackle palace of the Septizodium, where rains leaked through the roof of their chamber, mingled with the urine of Orsini's guards on the rooftiles (Abulafia 1988, p 350). One of the cardinals fell ill and died.
One group, which included Sinibaldo de' Fieschi (soon to be Pope Innocent IV
Pope Innocent IV
Pope Innocent IV , born Sinibaldo Fieschi, was pope from June 25, 1243 until his death in 1254.-Early life:...
) backed a candidate from the inner circle of Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX, born Ugolino di Conti, was pope from March 19, 1227 to August 22, 1241.The successor of Pope Honorius III , he fully inherited the traditions of Pope Gregory VII and of his uncle Pope Innocent III , and zealously continued their policy of Papal supremacy.-Early life:Ugolino was...
expected to pursue the hard line with Frederick II. Another group advocated a moderated middle course, not allies of the Hohenstaufen, but keen to reach an end to the Italian war. Overtures to Frederick II, however, were met with the impossible demand, that if they wished the cardinals in his hands to return to Rome, they must elect as Pope one of them, Otto of St. Nicholas, an amenable compromise figure. Matteo Orsini's candidate was also unacceptable, Romano da Porto, who had persecuted scholars at the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
and had conducted himself in unseemly fashion in the presence of the Queen Mother.
The cardinal bishop of Sabina was finally elected Pope Celestine IV by seven cardinals only, on October 25, 1241. He occupied the throne for only seventeen days, his only notable papal act being the timely excommunication of Matteo Orsini, and died, before consecration, of wear and age, on November 10, 1241, and was buried in St Peter's.
Further reading
- Agostino Pallavicini Bagliani, 1972. Cardinali di curia e familiae cardinalizie dal 1227 al 1254 in series Italia Sacra vols 18–19 (Padua: Antenore 1972) A standard account.
External links
- The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church: 13th century