Clement VI, Pope

CLEMENTE VI, POPE. — Pietro Roger, born in 1291 at Maumont (Corrèze) to Guglielmo, lord of Rosière, and Guglielmetta di Mestre. At the age of ten he entered the Benedictine monastery of Chaise-Dieu. Having obtained a licentiate in theology (25 May 1323), he became abbot of Fécamp (23 June 1326), bishop of Arras (3 December 1328), and archbishop of Sens (24 November 1329), whence he was transferred to Rouen (14 December 1330); he was created cardinal of the title of SS. Nereo e Achilleo (18 December 1338). Highly esteemed by Filippo VI for his profound culture, uncommon eloquence, and assured loyalty, he became his keeper of the seals and chancellor. At the death of Benedetto XII (25 April 1342), the cardinals, certain that they would please the king of France, elected him unanimously after only three days of conclave (7 May 1342). Unlike his peaceful, austere, imperious, and frugal predecessor, C. was energetic, accommodating, liberal—indeed, lavish—fond of luxury, and generous toward relatives as well as princes and subjects; he was also charitable. Having soon exhausted the reserves accumulated by his predecessors, C. increased curial taxation, arousing opposition especially in Germany and England. For lack of means, he was unable to support his Italian policy as fully as necessary. In Rome, which had been reduced almost to a village, he initially supported Cola di Rienzo’s attempt, but soon grew tired of him, to such an extent that the papal legate was able to excommunicate him (15 December 1347). In 1350 he proclaimed the Jubilee Year, establishing that it should be celebrated every fifty years. He sought to remedy the extremely grievous conditions of the provinces of the Papal States with a military expedition under the command of Astorgio di Dufort (1350–51); the undertaking failed miserably. Bologna was purchased by Giovanni Visconti under the eyes of the papal legate (16 October 1350). The struggle that followed against the Visconti soon ended through exhaustion (28 July 1352). More successful was the league concluded by C. with Venice, Cyprus, and the Hospitallers against the Turks, which led to the occupation of Smyrna and the victory of Imbros (1344–47). He brought the struggle against Ludovico il Bavaro to a successful conclusion; Ludovico was deposed (13 April 1346) and replaced by Carlo IV di Lussemburgo. He absolved Giovanna di Napoli of the accusation of having killed her first husband, Andrea d’Ungheria, and permitted her marriage to her cousin Luigi di Taranto. During the great plague of 1348, which caused many millions of deaths throughout Europe, C. did not leave the city of Avignon, which suffered 60,000 deaths, and multiplied spiritual and material assistance. He defended the Jews, whom the common people called responsible for the plague. He died at Avignon on 6 December 1352.