Synod of Brixen
TheSynod of Brixenwas achurch councilheld on 15 June 1080 in the episcopal city ofBrixen.It was convoked by KingHenry IV of Germanyat the height of theInvestiture Controversyto pass judgement on PopeGregory VII.The synod issued a decree condemning the pope, demanding his abdication and authorizing his deposition if he refused. The synod also elected his successor,Wibert of Ravenna.[1]
Henry IV wasat warwith a rival claimant to the kingship,Rudolf of Rheinfelden.At the time of the synod, Rudolf had won a recent victory at thebattle of Flarchheimon 27 January 1080.[2]In the aftermath of the battle, Henry sent ArchbishopLiemar of Bremenand BishopRupert of Bambergto Rome to confer with Gregory at his annualLenten synod.Rudolf too sent envoys to Rome. On 7 March, the synod chose to recognize Rudolf as the legitimate king. On 13 April, Gregory VII pronounced Henry excommunicated and gave him until 1 August to repent, else "he would die or be deposed". In response Henry convoked thesynod of Mainzthat met on 31 May. It recommended removing the pope and electing another.[3]
The main source for the synod of Brixen that followed is the synodal decree, which states that "a meeting of thirty [prelates] and of secular princes not only of Italy but also of Germany was assembled by royal command".[1]The assembled prelates included 29 bishops from theHoly Roman Empireand one priest,Hugh Candidus,representing theCollege of Cardinals.All the kingdoms of the empire were represented. There were twenty bishops fromItaly,eight fromGermanyand one fromBurgundy.Henry IV was also present at Brixen with an armed force of Germans and Italians.[4]The precedent for the king calling a council was to be found in thesynod of Sutrithat Henry's father,Henry III,had held in 1046.[1]
The choice of Brixen (Bressanone) was based on the loyalty of its bishop,Altwin,to Henry IV's cause, as well as its geographical location. It lay south of theBrenner Passin the extreme south of the Kingdom of Germany and was easily accessible to the Italians.[1][4]Henry IV arrived at Brixen directly from the synod of Mainz.[1]Most of the bishops who had convened in Mainz sent letters or envoys to Brixen to join in the condemnation of the pope.[4]
As he had at thesynod of Wormsin 1076, Hugh Candidus gave evidence at Brixen concerning Gregory VII's misdeeds. He accused him of using any means necessary to obtain the papacy, includingsimony,violence, heresy,necromancyand murder. He was specifically accused of poisoning his four predecessors.[1]He had usurped hisarchidiaconateat Rome. He attended obscene shows. The latest crime was that of the Lenten synod, in which he had approved of the death of the king and lent support to a traitor, Rudolf.[4]Although the most scurrilous accusations are rejected by modern scholarship, not all of the accusations contained in the synodal decree was a fabrication for propaganda purposes. The accusations regarding Gregory's actions at Lent were both serious and true.[1][5]
The synodal decree has some of the character of aminutes,since it provides a chronological outline of the synod.[4]The final sentence on Gregory was that he "should be canonically deposed and expelled and condemned in perpetuity, if, having heard this [decree], he does not step down."[1]All the prelates attending but two signed the decree. Henry IV signed the decree after the bishops.[4]
Signatories
[edit]The following list is derived fromGresser 2006,pp. 205–206, andGeary 2016,pp. 527–528.
- Hugh Candidus,cardinal-priest ofSan Clemente al Laterano[4]
- Tedald of Milan
- Cono of Brescia
- Otto of Tortona
- William of Pavia
- Reginald of Belluno
- Sigebod of Verona
- Denis of Piacenza
- Udo of Asti
- Hugh of Fermo
- Milo of Padua
- Conrad of Utrecht
- Henry of Aquileia
- Didald of Vicenza
- Regenger of Vercelli
- Rupert of Bamberg
- Norbert of Chur
- Everard of Parma
- Roland of Treviso
- Arnulf of Cremona
- Arnulf of Bergamo
- Tiedo of Brandenburg
- Liemar of Bremen
- Werner of Bobbio
- Altwin of Brixen
- Meginward of Freising
- Burchard of Lausanne
- Conrad of Genoa
- Henry IV of Germany
ArchbishopWibert of Ravennaand BishopBenno of Osnabrückattended but did not subscribe the decree.[4]
Notes
[edit]- ^abcdefghRobinson 1999,pp. 198–201.
- ^Robinson 1999,p. 193.
- ^Robinson 1999,pp. 194–196.
- ^abcdefghCowdrey 1998,pp. 201–204.
- ^Blumenthal 1988,pp. 125–126.
Sources
[edit]- Blumenthal, Uta-Renate (1988).The Investiture Controversy: Church and Monarchy from the Ninth to the Twelfth Century.University of Pennsylvania Press.
- Cowdrey, H. E. J.(1998).Pope Gregory VII, 1073–1085.Clarendon Press.
- Geary, Patrick,ed. (2016).Readings in Medieval History(5th ed.). University of Toronto Press.
- Gresser, Georg (2006).Die Synoden und Konzilien in der Zeit des Reformpapsttums in Deutschland und Italien von Leo IX. bis Calixt II. 1049–1123.Ferdinand Schöningh.
- Robinson, I. S. (1999).Henry IV of Germany, 1056–1106.Cambridge University Press.