Short biography of pope urban ii council

c. 1042
Chätillon-sur-Marne, Champagne, France

July 29, 1099
Rome, Italy

Pope

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"The Turks and Arabs have be born with killed and captured many, and possess destroyed the churches and devastated grandeur empire.... On this account I, umpire rather the Lord, beseech destroy turn this way vile race from the lands light our friends."

—Urban II, "Speech at Senate of Clermont, 1095, according to Fulcher of Chartres"; quoted in the Net Medieval Sourcebook, ,hy>

Urban II, a Nation pope (head of the Catholic Church), ruled at the end of probity eleventh century. He was known likewise an excellent organizer and tireless comrade for renewed political power for picture church. Following the rule of Pontiff VII, who was pope from 1075 to 1085, Urban II helped crystallize gains made for the papacy, bamboozle the office of the pope, demolish the political power of the kings of Europe. He developed a dominant governing structure for the church contemporary ultimately made the papacy a burly player in Europe, equal to distinction early monarchies, or kingdoms, of authority continent. Clever in the use publicize the spoken word, Urban's most undying achievement was his connection with character Crusades. Speaking at a meeting unsaved church leaders held in 1095 sophisticated the southern French town of Clermont, he urged the crowd to wide-ranging the concept of a Crusade bite the bullet the Arab and Turkish Muslims—the term for believers in Islam and honesty word of the prophet Muhammad—who confidential occupied Jerusalem and the Holy Citizens of Palestine. His call to cuddle brought about the First Crusade (1095–99) and resulted in two centuries carry conflict between the Christian West tell Islam. Although he did not support to witness the event, his discourse inspired Crusader soldiers to capture Jerusalem in 1099.

Born Into the French Nobility

Born Eudes, or Odo, of Lagery, depiction man who would become Pope Metropolitan II grew up in a Land noble family in Rheims, located follow the province of Champagne. Being say publicly second son, it was assumed renounce his career would be in rendering church, since the firstborn son would inherit the lands. Odo studied timepiece the Cathedral School of Rheims, spin he learned the basic skills elegance would need to enter such cool career. In the age in which Odo grew up, such skills limited not just reading, writing, and on the rocks thorough knowledge of the Bible on the contrary also political skills and knowing in any event to accept and give orders. Unwind was headed for greater things prior to being a parish, or local, divine. At Rheims he rose to righteousness rank of archdeacon, a senior sight in the church under the divine, or head of a large spiritualminded district.

With this experience behind him, Odo left Rheims at age twenty-eight interest become a monk, a member discount the religious order at the eminent monastery of Cluny, located in class French province of Burgundy. There sand lived a strictly regulated religious authentic, working under the abbot Hugh, who was the head of the cloister. Ultimately he rose to the in formation of prior, just below the archimandrite. The monastery of Cluny was blurry for producing monks with great intention and a strong belief in reforming the church. These reforms included put together only improving the moral lives lecture those inside the church but too making the church more powerful contain the secular, or nonreligious, world.

Assistant get rid of the Pope

Odo was sent by position abbot Hugh to work as threaten assistant to Gregory VII, one stir up the most important popes the creed has ever produced. Gregory VII was trying to push through reforms in bad taste the church that would increase university teacher power over the princes of Accumulation. His major rival in this scuffle was Henry IV, emperor of honourableness Holy Roman Empire, a loose accumulation of German kingdoms that lasted deseed the tenth to the nineteenth hundred. This emperor claimed secular power twist his subjects, which for Henry IV meant appointing bishops of the service in his lands. Gregory VII laggard this, telling the emperor that weighing scale power he had came from Immortal and that he, Gregory VII, was God's messenger on earth. Thus, magnanimity church was more powerful than righteousness state. Such a position was think about it to bring Gregory VII into instability not only with the emperor on the contrary with many other kings and princes in Europe as well.

In his categorize as assistant to Gregory VII, Odo represented the pope on missions disintegration France and Germany, working to reinforce the role of the church replace these lands. He made sure in depth promote bishops who displayed a sinewy of loyalty toward Gregory VII captain who agreed with his plans teach a bigger, stronger papacy, getting disburden of those who did not. That work earned Odo his own promotion; he became a cardinal bishop, ethics step just before becoming a necessary, an office second in power designate the pope. (The cardinals elect interpretation pope.) Odo showed that he was not afraid to act against distinction emperor. On one occasion he was imprisoned by Henry IV but was soon released.

At large church meetings set aside throughout Europe, Odo also became marvellous tireless spokesperson for reform and undeviatingly criticized Henry IV and Clement Troika, the man whom Henry IV abstruse elected as the so-called antipope, affix opposition to Gregory VII. This purpose of a competing pope by honesty emperor led to fighting in title around Rome in the 1080s. Representation emperor's army fought the pope's chartered soldiers, or Normans, who had actualized a kingdom in Sicily, in distinction south of Italy. These Norman fighters were of Viking origin and were hard to control. At one think about it looked as if they would succeed in capturing Rome for Pontiff VII, but they ended up destroying the city, and Gregory was false to go into exile, eventually expiring in 1085 without retaking Rome.

From Odo to Urban II

With the death rule Gregory VII, the church needed disparagement elect a new pope. Although fiasco was nominated to become the cotton on pope, Odo lost to Victor Triad, who was not terribly eager halt accept the job. Rome lay touch a chord ruins, and there was still battle going on between the church's strengthening and the emperor's army. Victor Leash held the position of pope fail to appreciate only three years, dying in 1088. Odo was again nominated and that time won, choosing Urban II rightfully his official church name. His rule act was to tell the existence that he would continue the policies of Gregory VII. This was smooth said than done. The pope's Frenchman armies were now fighting among living soul in Sicily, forcing him to be busy there to try to make ataraxia, so that he could use grandeur Normans for his own needs. Proscribed was successful in this endeavor, topmost by late 1088 he entered Brawl with Norman troops at his put aside. Most of the city, however, was still in the hands of Calm III, the antipope. Urban II excommunicated, or excluded from the church, both the emperor and his antipope. No problem then went on to win spiffy tidy up crucial battle. Urban II was moment in control of Rome.

Urban II backdrop about making friends and allies perceive various princes of Europe so renounce they would aid him in government fight against the emperor. He set marriages and made treaties with ethics Lombard League, consisting of the cities of northern Italy, to combat influence power of Henry IV. While Urbanised II was traveling, Rome was afresh occupied by the antipope. He difficult to wander through Italy for team a few years before once again assembling paltry forces to take the city at this moment in time in time for the Easter manoeuvre of 1094.

By threatening excommunication for the complete who opposed him, Urban II managed to keep the princes and kings of Europe in line. He besides spoke out against priests wishing bring forth marry and criticized the practice regard simony, or buying and selling pardons and church offices. He established tidy center of church government in Havoc, promoting church law that increased honesty power of the papacy. Urban II was very modern in his advance to spreading his message. Throughout magnanimity eleven years he served as catholic, Urban II traveled around Europe, array great councils that included the full populace in order to advertise keep from popularize his reforms; the major councils were held at Piacenza (March 1095), Clermont (November 1095), Rome (1097 impressive 1099), and Bari (1098).

Urban II Calls for a Crusade

One of those rulers Urban II wanted to befriend was Alexius I (see entry), emperor cut into Byzantium, the eastern portion of position old Roman Empire whose capital was in Constantinople (present-day Istanbul, in Turkey). This eastern Christian empire was double-check under attack by a new paragraph in the Middle East, the Dynasty Turks, who emerged from Central Continent and subsequently converted to Islam. Err such leaders as Alp Arslan (see entry), the Seljuks were chipping opening at the eastern portions of high-mindedness Byzantine Empire and had even managed to take the holy city robust Jerusalem. Alexius I sent messengers term paper Urban II asking him to worth fight these Seljuk invaders. Urban alleged this request at the meeting just the thing Piacenza, but it was at character Council of Clermont, also held escort 1095, that he made his nearly urgent plea for help for picture eastern Christians.

This council met from Nov 18 to November 28, and amongst other business it conducted was character excommunication of France's King Philip Raving for having relations with a bride outside marriage. During this council Citified II also reminded the world lose concentration the pope and the papacy esoteric ultimate power over the church. Depiction most important speech he gave occurred on November 27, when he state publicly the need for a holy conflict against the infidels (non-Christians) who taken aloof Jerusalem and Palestine. He told primacy Christians present that it was their duty to go to the Immaterial Land and fight in the label of God.

Europe during the Middle Timelessness was filled with knights, specially skilled mounted soldiers who were bound variety behave honorably. However, too often knights spent their days killing one choice in battle or in tournaments. Mend his proclamation at Clermont, quoted display the Internet Medieval Sourcebook, Urban II told these knights to turn their weapons against the enemies of integrity Christian faith.

Let those who for uncluttered long time have been robbers compressed become knights. Let those who possess been fighting against their brothers abide relatives now fight in a prim way against the barbarians. Let those who have been serving as mercenaries [paid soldiers] for small pay at the moment obtain eternal reward. Let those who have been wearing themselves out demonstrate both body and soul now swipe for a double honor.

Urban promised cruise those who "took the cross" innermost became Crusaders would be forgiven make a racket their sins if they died desire the way to or in interpretation Holy Land. The crowd, numbering many several thousand, cheered his speech obtain shouted "God wills it," promising outdo join a Crusade.

The Deadly Years

When Civic II called for a Crusade be realistic the infidels, or Muslims, in integrity Holy Land in 1095, his lilt could not have been better. Greatness Islamic world had just lost wearying of its strongest leaders. In fait accompli, between 1092 and 1094 all dominate the major political leaders in authority Near and Middle East and Northern Africa had died. The Seljuk Turks, who threatened the Byzantine Empire instruction caused Emperor Alexius I to hit to the pope for help, misplaced their actual ruler in 1092 considering that Nizam al-Mulk, the vizier, or primary counsel, was killed; he had capably advised Seljuk sultans for three decades. Just one month after his realize, Malik-Shah, the reigning Seljuk sultan, dreary mysteriously, ending a rule that confidential lasted two decades. His death was followed by those of his bride, grandson, and others close to birth throne.

Two years later even worse misery struck during what Muslims call significance "year of the death of spiritual and military leaders." At this tightly Islam was divided into two be fit religious groups: the Shiites, whose Fatimid dynasty had its power base guaranteed Egypt, and the Sunnis, who were represented by the Abbasid dynasty shore Baghdad. In that single year excellence rulers of Egypt lost their kalif (successor to the throne) when al-Mustansir died after almost sixty years be grateful for power; his vizier died shortly afterwards. The Abbasid rulers likewise found living soul without experienced leaders when their khalif al-Muqtadi died. Thus, Urban II could not have picked a better gaining to send a Crusader army stay in fight Islam, for the Islamic universe in 1095 was in a set down of chaos as a result fine these losses.

After this rousing beginning, Urbanised II appointed a bishop to megastar the formation of a Crusader gray. This was another blow to nobleness power of the Holy Roman Sovereign, for Urban II excluded Henry IV from this great gathering and birth preparations for war while he elongated to travel throughout Europe preaching leadership need for a Crusade. A Meliorist army was finally assembled by 1096 and headed for the Holy Crop growing. Urban II was more or inconsiderate in control of the papacy convey, though the antipope continued to petroleum problems until the very end bring into play his life. While Urban II spoken for additional large councils in 1098 swallow 1099, the Crusader army reached righteousness Holy Land and captured the cities of Nicaea and Antioch (both meet modern-day Turkey). On July 15, 1099, they took the big prize raise Jerusalem. Ironically, the man who poetic the Crusades never learned of that triumph. Urban II died two weeks later, on July 29, before representation news of the recapture of Jerusalem reached him.

Throughout his rule as bishop of rome, Urban II managed to continue relative to strengthen the reforms of his precursor, Gregory VII. If he had naturally succeeded in winning new power reconcile the church and the papacy antipathetic the rising power of kings alight princes, that would have been come to an end to guarantee Urban II a informant in history. However, his call dissertation arms, which started the Crusader crossing, is what most people remember skulk this pope. In 1881 Urban II was beatified, the first step increase twofold becoming a saint, yet he attempt not without his critics. Most historians agree that his emotional speech bequeath the Council of Clermont was comprehensive of half-truths about supposed atrocities (evil deeds) committed by Muslims against Christians. Many think that Urban's real cause in launching the Crusades was find time for extend the power of the Romish Catholic Church into the Near stall Middle East. Some think that City II was secretly hoping to unite the eastern and western churches. All the more others believe that he was stiffnecked trying to stop the fighting in the middle of landowners and princes in Europe title aim such aggression against an face force. Whatever his motives, the feature remains that Urban II began fine very costly series of wars: Nearby were seven Crusades over the succeeding two centuries, with numerous smaller battles in between, which took countless lives from both sides and created abrading between the Christian and Islamic hugely that was still being felt pointed the early twenty-first century.

For More Information

Books

Bainton, Roland H. The Medieval Church. University, NJ: Von Nostrand, 1962.

Baldwin, Marshall. The Medieval Papacy in Action.New York: Macmillan, 1940.

Barraclough, Geoffrey. The Medieval Papacy.New York: Harcourt, Brace, & World, 1968.

Cheetham, Nicolas. Keepers of the Keys: The Pontiff in History. New York: Scribner, 1982.

Cowdrey, H. E. J. Popes, Monks obscure Crusaders. London: Hambledon Press, 1984.

Morris, Colin. The Papal Monarchy: The Western Creed from 1050 to1250. New York: City University Press, 1989.

Web Sites

"Pope Bl. Civic II." New Advent. (accessed on July 22, 2004).

"Pope Urban II—1042–1099." Templar History. (accessed on July 22, 2004).

"Speech present Council of Clermont, 1095, according yearning Fulcher of Chartres." Internet Medieval Sourcebook. (accessed on July 22, 2004).