year: 1260
text: May 21. Anagni. Pope Alexander IV writes to the patriarch of Jerusalem [Jacques Pantaléon], relating that the patriarch complained to him that the abbot and convent of St Mary of Josaphat of the Order of St Benedict in the diocese of Jerusalem, which is subject to the patriarch, asserting that they have a privilege of exemption from the pope, are trying to withdraw from the patriarch's jurisdiction on this account, to the prejudice and no little trouble to the patriarch and his church. The patriarch asked the pope to provide for him and his church in this matter. Although the pope does not believe that he granted such a privilege of exemption to the abbot and convent, just in case, if such a privilege was sent from the pope, which he repeats that he does not believe, he has ordered it revoked.
May 21. Anagni. Pope Alexander IV writes to the patriarch of Jerusalem [Jacques Pantaléon], relating that the patriarch complained to him that the abbot and convent of St Mary of Josaphat of the Order of St Benedict in the diocese of Jerusalem, which is subject to the patriarch, asserting that they... more
sources: Bourel de La Roncière, Les registres, 3:114, no. 3123
year: 1260
text: June 1. Anagni. Alexander IV writes to Bishop [Thomas] of Bethlehem (Bethlemmensis), papal legate, relating that he was shown the petition of the podestà, captain, council, and commune of Genoa claiming that when a dispute over various articles arose between them, on one side, and the doge of Venice and communes of Venice and Pisa, on the other, eventually the procurators and nuncios of the doge and communes having special mandate over all issues in question in Outremer decided to turn the case over to the pope's judgment in a compromise and swore to that effect, agreeing to turn over to the pope's control or that of his legate or nuncio the little fortifications or towers they had in those parts within eight days of the arrival of his legate or nuncio in Acre (Accon). But although the addressee was sent mainly for this purpose and over a year has passed since he arrived in Acre (Accon), the doge and communes have not yet turned over the fortifications they have in those parts. Thus the Genoese asked for a solution. On the other hand, the procurators of the Pisans proposed as an explanation before the pope things that seemed neither rational not proper. Thus the pope orders the addressee to have those fortifications turned over to him within eight days of receiving this letter in accordance with the compromise, forcing those who contradict with ecclesiastical censure without appeal and, if necessary, invoking the secular arm and the Hospitallers, Templars, and Teutonic Knights, notwithstanding other papal letters or indulgences.
June 1. Anagni. Alexander IV writes to Bishop [Thomas] of Bethlehem (Bethlemmensis), papal legate, relating that he was shown the petition of the podestà, captain, council, and commune of Genoa claiming that when a dispute over various articles arose between them, on one side, and the doge of... more
sources: Inserted in Bigoni, ‘Quattro documenti’, pp. 60-61 no, 2; RRH 1293a
year: 1260
text: June 10 - 29. Fr Guy de Bazainville (Gwido de Basenivillen), [Templar] visitator in partibus citramarinis, wrote to Fr. Franconus de Borno, Templar preceptor in Aquitaine, and his lieutenant copying the letter (of 4 March, RRR 3290) from the master of the Temple which reached him on 10 June at Châteaudun. After repeating the letter he goes on to report that the knights and nobles of France are to pay a 60th of their income in tax and the clergy (apart from the Military Orders which are exempt) a 20th and there are other provisions including a ban on tournaments. The pope has called for envoys to assemble on 29 June at which they will discuss (i) the affairs of the Holy Land, (ii) the Mongol (Tartar) threat to Hungary, (iii) Constantinople, (iv) Manfred, and (v) what to do about rulers including the prince of Antioch, the king of Armenia and the king (rex) of Russia who make truces with the Mongols (Tartars).
June 10 - 29. Fr Guy de Bazainville (Gwido de Basenivillen), [Templar] visitator in partibus citramarinis, wrote to Fr. Franconus de Borno, Templar preceptor in Aquitaine, and his lieutenant copying the letter (of 4 March, RRR 3290) from the master of the Temple which reached him on 10 June at... more
sources: Monumentorum Boicorum collectio nova 29 ii, pp. 197–202; RRH 1303; undated, here following date supplied in Claverie, L’Ordre du Temple, 3:536-37
year: 1260
text: July 3. Anagni. Pope Alexander IV writes for the future record, stating his desire for peace, unity, and love rather than feuds, lawsuits, and animosity, especially among churchmen. He then details the background of a quarrel on Cyprus, reported to him in person by Archbishop Germanus of the Greeks of Cyprus and the procurators of Archbishop [Hugh] of Nicosia (Nicosiaensis). Germanos related that, when the metropolitan see of the Greeks was vacant, the Greek bishops obtained permission from Pope Innocent [IV] to elect a successor, notwithstanding the regulation of the General Council or of the papal legate Pelagius, cardinal-bishop of Albano (Albanensis). The bishops chose Germanus, who was confirmed on Innocent’s orders by the papal legate [Eudes of Châteauroux], cardinal-bishop of Tusculum (Tusculanus) (see 25 February 1254, RRR 2958). The Greek bishops accepted Germanus, they and Germanus promised obedience to the Roman Church, and the bishops promised obedience to Germanus. Archbishop [Hugh] of Nicosia did not have any jurisdiction over Germanus, who was subject to the pope alone, nor over the Greeks of Cyprus, but [Hugh] exceeded his powers and summoned Germanus to answer for some charges. Since he was not obliged, Germanus refused to come, placed his church and the Greeks under papal protection, appealed to the pope, and left for the papal curia. [Hugh] then expelled Germanus’ vicars, tried to drive Germanus’ subjects from obedience, relaxed Germanus’ just sentences of excommunication against some of those subjects, and excommunicated Germanus. The troubles caused Germanus and his church hardship and expense, and Germanus asked the pope to restrain [Hugh] from usurping power over the Greeks in matters such as tithes. The pope named Cardinal-Bishop [Eudes] of Tusculum (Tusculanus) auditor in the case, and the procurators of the archbishop of Nicosia told [Eudes] that [Hugh] had not been summoned and that they were there for other business and not obliged to stand trial. When the pope compelled them to respond to Germanus’ charges, they claimed that Germanus’ election procedure was void because the Greek bishops were all excommunicate when they received Innocent’s permission, and so in [Hugh’s] absence his vicars appealed. They added that Pope Celestinus [III] had given the Latins Cyprus because of the disobedience and treachery of the local Greeks and set up four Latin sees, making Nicosia metropolitan, the Latin bishops taking over the tithes and rights that the Greek bishops had had before. Later the legate [Pelagius] decreed that there would be four Greek bishops with sees inside the Latin dioceses, the pope confirmed the arrangement, and the Greeks took oaths of obedience to their Latin counterparts. Since there was only one archbishop of the province of Cyprus, the procurators asked that Germanus be stripped of any archiepiscopal power. The trial dragged on and Germanus begged the pope to consider the poverty and hardships of the Greek Church by providing an arrangement whereby the Greeks could live in peace with the Latins under obedience to the Roman Church. The pope remarks that uncertainty about the hierarchy of powers and the diversity of a society of differing nations and rites caused these problems. Since it was his papal duty to impose a peaceful settlement, he deliberated with the cardinals. With Archbishop Germanus, the Greek Bishops Nilon of Solia, Joachim of Carpasia, and Mathias of Lefacara, and [Hugh’s] procurators present, the pope ordains by perpetual decree the following arrangement: (1) Following the arrangement of the legate [Pelagius], there are to be four sees and cathedrals of the Greeks within the Latin dioceses, with Nicosia as metropolitan, and the Greeks occupying these sees canonically will be bishops and will take their titles from their sees, namely Solia for the diocese of Nicosia (Nicosiensis), Arsino for Paphos (Paphensis), Carpasia for Famagusta (Famagustana), and Lefacara for Limassol (Nimotiensis). (2) When a Greek see is vacant, another cleric of that see should be elected bishop and confirmed by the Latin bishop, if the election is canonical and the candidate suitable. The Latin will summon the Greek bishops of neighboring dioceses to consecrate the new bishop, on whom the Latin will entrust the care of the Greek monasteries, churches, clergy, and people of the diocese. The Greek will then take an oath of obedience to the Latin and to the pope, which the pope gives verbatim (with the example of Solia). If improper, the Latin is to annul the election. The other Greek bishops are to convene promptly for the consecration. (3) To protect the episcopal rank, the condemnation or deposition of a Greek bishop is reserved for the pope alone. (4) The Latin bishop is not to appoint a Greek to a vacant see unless the electors fail to do so within three months according to the General Council, in which case the Latin must appoint a meritorious Greek. Meanwhile, the dean and chapter of the Greek see must protect its possessions. (5) The Greek bishops shall enjoy the normal episcopal rights over their Greek subjects, and the Latins can only take over in cases where a metropolitan can legally exercise jurisdiction over his suffragan’s subjects. (6) In cases pertaining to church courts, those between Greeks shall be brought to the Greek bishop, but if the plaintiff or defendant is a Latin, the Latin bishop shall oversee. Appeals against the Greek bishop will go to the Latin bishop of the diocese and then to the Latin archbishop, except that all have the right to appeal to the pope directly. (7) In each Latin diocese, there should only be the Greek episcopal court, overseen by an official or vicar if necessary, unless by ancient custom a Greek archdeaconate or other rank has a court, from which there is right of appeal to the Greek bishop and so on. (8) If any Greeks cause offense or damage to the Latin archbishop and bishops or their churches, these Latins can punish the Greeks in cases where they could punish such deeds done by Latins. (9) Once a year the Greek bishop, along with the abbots and pastoral priests subject to him, must attend his Latin counterpart’s council and accept and observe its decrees that are not contrary to the Greek rites that are tolerated by the Roman Church and not opposed to the Catholic faith, but they do not have to be doubly burdened and attend the provincial council. (10) Latin bishops shall have canonical rights of visitation over the Greeks, but they must exercise them in moderation: the Latin archbishop shall receive only five procurations annually from the Greeks of his diocese, the bishop of Paphos (Paphensis) four, and the bishops of Famagusta (Famagustanus) and Limassol (Nimotiensis) three, each procuration not exceeding thirty sous tournois. This the pope limits in consideration for the poverty of the Greeks, but since the Latins are already endowed for this purpose, he wants them at their own expense to make frequent visitations of the Greeks to check on their orthodoxy, obedience to Rome, or morals. But the Greeks do have to pay when canonical, following Paul’s example. (11) The right to collect tithes belongs to the Latins as has been the custom, and no one is exempt from paying. (12) Although in the future the Greeks will not have an archbishop, Archbishop Germanus shall retain his title and rank for life, or until he resigns, and be personally exempt from the archbishop of Nicosia’s jurisdiction. (13) The pope has transferred Nilon of Solia to the vacant see of Arsino and committed the see of Solia to Germanus, so that he does not roam without a fixed see. Germanus will govern the spiritual and temporal affairs of the church of Solea with his title and honor of archbishop, but the Greek church of St Barnabas of Nicosia (Nicosiensis) is to belong to the see of Solia perpetually, so that Germanus can stay either in Solea or at St Barnabas as he wishes. (14) When Germanus dies or resigns, a simple Greek bishop of Solia will succeed him and be subject to the archbishop of Nicosia as the other Greek bishops are already subject to the Latin bishops. (15) Meanwhile Germanus will have the same power over the Greeks of the diocese of Nicosia (Nicosiensis) as the other Greek bishops of Cyprus have. (16) While Germanus lives or remains archbishop, archiepiscopal authority over the Greeks will be divided to avoid strife. Germanus will have authority to promote to holy orders Greeks elected bishop and confirmed by their Latin counterparts, and he shall consecrate them and summon the other Greek bishops for this. When required, he shall conduct visitations of the Greeks throughout Cyprus, and he shall receive what pertains to such visitations. While he lives, the Latin archbishop and bishops shall not intervene against these rights, which rights the Latins will have after his death or resignation. (17) In other cases the Latin archbishop and bishops will have their rights over the Greeks as metropolitan and bishops, and Germanus will not intervene. (18) While Germanus lives, the Latin archbishop will retain jurisdiction over all Greeks – except the person of Germanus – in appeals and other matters in the diocese of Nicosia as the other Latins have elsewhere. Although Archbishop Germanus is personally exempt from the Latin archbishop’s power, he is to take the oath of obedience to the Latin in the name of the see of Solia as above, but the Latin archbishop will not have any power on this basis over the person of Germanus, who shall remain fully exempt. But appeals against Germanus shall be taken to the Latin archbishop, saving the pope’s prerogatives. (19) After Germanus’ death or resignation, when the Latin archbishop performs a visitation of the Greeks in his suffragans’ dioceses, he shall receive only one procuration annually in each from all the Greeks collectively, not to exceed sixty sous tournois. (20) The pope extends the arrangement to those Syrians of Cyprus who from ancient times follow the same practices, rites, and church law as the Greeks. By the power of both the Latin and the Greek bishops of Cyprus, the pope orders each side to keep within the bounds pronounced by the arrangement so that they may unite as one body with Christ as head. The letter is signed by Alexander and eight cardinals.
July 3. Anagni. Pope Alexander IV writes for the future record, stating his desire for peace, unity, and love rather than feuds, lawsuits, and animosity, especially among churchmen. He then details the background of a quarrel on Cyprus, reported to him in person by Archbishop Germanus of the Greeks... more
sources: Haluscynskyj and Wojnar, Acta Alexandri IV, 91-102, no. 46; Coureas and Schabel, The Cartulary, 194-205, no. 78; Schabel et al. [eds.], Bullarium, 1:502-15, no. f-35; trans; Schabel, Synodicum Nicosiense, 311-20, no. 25
year: 1260
text: September 19. Acre. In the palatium of the lord of Tyre, in which the papal legate is residing. Incorporating the text of the papal letter of 25 March 1260 (RRR 3295), which authorised magister Cosmas, canonicus Anconitanus, subdiaconus et nuntius papae, to enforce collection of the census owed to the church of Rome, Hugolinus, sacrosanctae Romanae ecclesiae et Apostolicae sedis judex et notarius, records in the presence of T[homas], bishop of Bethlehem (episcopus Bethlemitanus) and papal legate that Cosmas acknowledges under his seal and that of the papal legate that he has received from frere Jacques, prieur of the house in Acre of the abbey of St Mary of the Valley of Jehoshaphat, acting on behalf of the abbé and convent of St Mary, 5 gold ounces in Saracen besants, which the abbey owes to the church of Rome and the pope for the last 4 years, at 1 ounce a year, [together with the current year]. Cosmas will hand the money over to the pope. Witnesses: dominus Cantor Caesariensis; magister Nicolaus thesaurarius Caesariensis; magister Guillelmus archidiaconus Lydensis; magister Joannes canonicus Nazarenus, dominus Joannes Homodei civis Venetus. Hugolinus, sacrosanctae Romanae ecclesiae et Apostolicae sedis judex et notarius, wrote this deed.
September 19. Acre. In the palatium of the lord of Tyre, in which the papal legate is residing. Incorporating the text of the papal letter of 25 March 1260 (RRR 3295), which authorised magister Cosmas, canonicus Anconitanus, subdiaconus et nuntius papae, to enforce collection of the census owed to... more
sources: Kohler, ‘Chartes’, pp. 183-85, no. 77; RRH 1293b
year: 1260
text: November 17. Lateran. Pope Alexander IV writes to Edward, eldest son of [Henry] king of England, telling of the advance of the Mongols (Tartars). They have captured and destroyed Baghdad, Damsacus and Aleppo (Baldach, Damasco atque Alapia) and killed the caliph and most of his people. They have arrived as the borders of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, having subjugated the Christian Kingdom of Armenia, Antioch and Tripoli as they have Hungary and Poland. The pope is calling on the king to take counsel with his barons as to how they might help resist the Mongols (Tartars) and to send envoys to the curia. Edward is to use his influence to see that this happens.
November 17. Lateran. Pope Alexander IV writes to Edward, eldest son of [Henry] king of England, telling of the advance of the Mongols (Tartars). They have captured and destroyed Baghdad, Damsacus and Aleppo (Baldach, Damasco atque Alapia) and killed the caliph and most of his people. They have... more
sources: Rymer, Foedera [1816 edition], 1, p. 404
year: 1260
text: Undated but presumably about the same date to RRR 3306, i.e. 17 November 1260. Pope Alexander IV writes a similar letter to the archbishop of Canterbury and the bishops and clergy of his province.
Undated but presumably about the same date to RRR 3306, i.e. 17 November 1260. Pope Alexander IV writes a similar letter to the archbishop of Canterbury and the bishops and clergy of his province.
sources: ‘Annales monasterii Burtonensis’, pp. 495-99
year: 1260
text: December 10. Ind. III. Tyre. In the palatium of the Commune of Genoa, the seat of government of the consuls (ubi regitur consilium). Jacobus Spinula and Guillelmus de Savignano, consules et vicecomites Januensium pro comuni Janue in Syria, appoint as their procurators Fresonus Mallocellus and Johannes de Rovegno, citizens of Genoa, to present to Thomas O.P., bishop of Bethlehem legate of the Apostolic See, papal letters to the effect that the legate should have the Pisans and Venetians return the fortifications and towers they hold in partibus cismarinis and have a public instrument drawn up certifying this has been done. Witnesses: Octobonus Piccamilius and Ansaldus Auric. Conradus Capriata (corrected from TT’s ‘Cagnata’) de S. Donato, notary, scripsit.
December 10. Ind. III. Tyre. In the palatium of the Commune of Genoa, the seat of government of the consuls (ubi regitur consilium). Jacobus Spinula and Guillelmus de Savignano, consules et vicecomites Januensium pro comuni Janue in Syria, appoint as their procurators Fresonus Mallocellus and... more
sources: Tafel and Thomas, Urkunden 3:40-41; inserted in document dated 11-17 January 1261; RRH 1294