Boniface VIII
pope of the Catholic Church from 1294 to 1303
AI overview
Boniface VIII was the head of the Catholic Church from 1294 to 1303, a period when the papacy held significant political power in Europe. His papacy is historically important because it marked a turning point in the relationship between the Church and secular rulers, particularly through his conflicts with the king of France over church authority and independence.
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Person · Open Library
- Born
- 1235 ca.
- Died
- 1303
- Works
- 10
Top works
- Reuelationes sancte Birgitte
- Liber sextus decretalium cum Clementinis
- Liber sextus Decretalium . Add : Johannes Andreae
- Due Minute di Lettere
- Liber sextus decretalium cum Clementinis et extravegantibus
via Open Library + Wikidata
Recent publications · Crossref
5 total works indexed
Article
Pope Boniface VIII (Latin: Bonifacius PP. VIII, Italian: Bonifacio VIII; born Benedetto Caetani; c. 1230 – 11 October 1303) was head of the Catholic Church and leader of the Papal States from 24 December 1294 until his death in 1303. The Caetani family was of baronial origin with connections to the papacy. He succeeded Pope Celestine V, who had abdicated from the papal throne. Boniface spent his early pontificate abroad in diplomatic roles.
Boniface VIII put forward some of the strongest claims of any pope to temporal as well as spiritual power. He involved himself often with foreign affairs, including in France, Sicily, Italy, and the First War of Scottish Independence. These views, and his chronic intervention in temporal affairs, led to many bitter quarrels with Albert I of Germany, Philip IV of France, and later Dante Alighieri, who expected the pope to soon arrive at the eighth circle of Hell in his Divine Comedy, among the simoniacs.