Pope Innocent III and his World

The year 1998 was the 800th anniversary of the election of Lotario dei Conti di Segni as Pope. At 37, he was one of the youngest men ever to hold that office, and he was to become one of the most important popes in the entire history of Christianity. Together with Gregory VII, he was one of the two most important popes of the Middle Ages. In his efforts to promote Christianity and defend it from its enemies, Innocent played a role in the history of almost every part of Europe and its environs. He initiated both the ill-fated Fourth Crusade, that ended up sacking the Greek Christian city of Constantinople, and the Albigensian Crusade, that devastated major parts of Southern France and led to its submission to the French crown. He promoted the crusades that accomplished the conquest and conversion of the pagans of the south Baltic coast. These papers are taken from the interdisciplinary conference, Pope Innocent III and his World, held in May 1997 at the Hofstra University Cultural Center, New York.

Contents: Introduction; Part One: Innocent and His Milieu: Lotario dei Conti di Segni becomes Pope Innocent III: the man and the Pope, Edward Peters; A theologian at work: some remarks on methods and sources in Innocent III's writings, Christoph Egger; Innocent III as canonist and theologian: the case of spiritual matrimony, Richard Kay; Innocent III and Petrus Beneventanus: reconstructing a career at the Papal Curia, James M. Powell; Vineam domini- 10 April 1213: new efforts and traditional topoi- summoning Lateran IV, Alberto Melloni; Learning and teaching in the early 13th century Papal Curia, E.C. Ronquist; Part Two: Shepherding the Flock: Pregnant with meaning: Pope Innocent III's construction of motherhood, Constance M. Rousseau; Qui fidelis est in minimo: the importance of Innocent III's gift list, Brenda M. Bolton; The coarb of Peter: Innocent III and Irish monasticism, Gillian Murphy; Vision, dream and canonization policy under Pope Innocent III, Michael Goodich; Reform or crusade? Anti-usury and crusade preaching during the Pontificate of Innocent III, Jessalynn Bird; Pope Innocent III and the Jews, Robert Chazan; Pope Innocent III, John of England and the Albigensian crusade (1209-16), Claire Taylor; Innocent III and evangelical enthusiasts: the route to approval, Frances Andrews; Part Three: Defining and Using Papal Power: Power and the pastor: a reassessment of Innocent III's contribution to political ideas, Joseph Canning; Emperor Henry VI (1191-97) and the Papacy; similarities with Innocent III's temporal policies, Brian A. Pavlac; Innocent III, canon law and the punishment of the guiltless, Peter D. Clarke; Per venerabilem: from practical necessity to judical supremacy, Deirdre Courtney-Batson; The Papal and Imperial concept of plenitudo potestatis: the influence of Pope Innocent III on Emperor Frederick II, Hans-Joachim Schmidt; Part Four: Encountering the Muslim World: Innocent III and the kingdoms of Castile and Leon, Joseph F. O'C