The Council of Trent Flashcards
Long term pressures summoning Trent
- long standing calls for General Council but resisted by popes
- vocal criticism, humanists like Erasmus, d’Etaples translated old testament 1528 + More + Cisneros attacked corruption
- growing piety w/ new orders placed pressure on Church
- Oratory of Divine Love 1497/1517 + Spirituali facilitated reforming figures
Counter ref reasons for summoning trent
- 1517 Luther’s protest spreads rapidly
- 1534 Henry VIII break w/ Rome pressurised papacy
- Failure of Regensburg Colloquy 1541 increases desire for Council (Charles)
- 1542 protestant cells in Modena + Lucca found, Carafa sets up Inq.
Catholic ref reasons for summoning Trent
- 1527 Sack of Rome exposed weaknesses of Papacy, triggered wave of piety eg. Gilberti gave up lucrative job to return to bishopric
- 1536 Consilium investigates abuses, reveals need for change
Role of Paul III in calling Trent
Appoints 5 members from Oratory to Cardinal, Contarini + Carafa 1534-36
1536 attempts to call General Council but thwarted by Italian Wars, spends years mediating secular leaders
Consilium diagnosis for abuses (disciplinary reform needed)
1542 calls Council of Trent, starts 1545
How did Charles V political agenda create difficulty at Trent?
Pushed for emphasis on discipline first, Paul refused
Threatened to impose own settlement w/ prots in 1547 after victory at Muhlberg
Evidence of political agendas at Trent
- secular rivalries delayed Trent, Habsburg Valois wars, peace of Crepy 1544
- French did not attend first two sessions
- spanish (Philip) pushed for authority of bishops to be emphasised
- Italians dominated Council (potential corruption), protecting papal interests
What was attendance like at Trent?
Inconsistent:
- only 31/700 bishops at 1st session vs 235 at 3rd
- french only at 3rd session following religious wars outbreak
- dominant Italian presence
Presence of protestants at 2nd session slowed progress as no desire for reconciliation
How was Paul IV (Carafa) an obstacle to success at Trent
Member of the Zelanti + refused to call a council during his pontificate (1555-59)
Poor relations w/ Philip II - war in 1556 over South of Italy (lost)
Evidence of significant Papal reform after Trent
Papacy enacted decrees:
Pius IV granted princes in Bavaria >10% clergy income after accepting decrees 1556 under Canisius’ influence
Pius V (1566-72) Missal (1568)
Breviary (1570), 400 excess officials dismissed, income legitimised
Sixtus V (1585-1590) 15 permanent congregations (1588)
Evidence of significant secular reform after Trent?
Southern NLs reclaimed by 1590 by Philips policy of centralisation
Ferdinand: Bohemia + Austria saw prots lose liberties + jesuits education implemented (Moravia Uni 1569)
Polish monarchy - Bathory (1576-80) + Sigismund III (1587- 1632) oversaw energetic reform + supported Jesuits teaching
How is Philip II an example of Trent having a limited impact?
Inserted ‘catch all’ clause that his royal rights were protected -> suspicion of papal authority
Implementing decrees in NLs offended noble + urban liberties, stimulated Dutch revolt 1566 -> United northern provinces by 1579
Where were the tridentine decrees not implemented?
Emp ferdinand reluctant to support as fearful of strife so not until 1619 in HRE that decrees fully supported
France in religious turmoil until 1598 Edict of Nantes so no decrees accepted 1560s
England after 1558, northern HRE + Scandinavia all prot strongholds
What did Borromeo do?
1564 - 84 exemplified post tridentine role of bishops by attending synods, visitations + set up seminaries
Example of nepotism in Papacy
Gregory XIII 1583 promoted Ernest of Bavaria to Archbishopric of Cologne
