The Papacy in the Late Middle Ages

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Pope Urban V

Pope Urban V (1362-1370)

The most pious of the Avignonese popes, Guillaume de Grimoard was a Benedictine monk. He also was well educated and was one of the leading theologians of his day. He was in the papal court of Innocent, serving as an ambassador on more than one occasion. He was not a cardinal; he was elected because the factions inside the College were so evenly balanced that no one of them could gain the advantage. It was usual to have multiple names on early ballots, as a way of testing the waters, and Guillaume's name was there. To everyone's surprise, he was unanimously chosen on the first ballot.

Urban declared from the beginning his intention of returning to Rome. He was advised against it by everyone, but he was determined. He left Avignon on 30 April 1367 and arrived at Corneto on 4 June. Romans sent him garlands and greetings, but the city was so unsafe that Urban was forced to reside at Viterbo. He finally entered Rome on 16 October.

He got off to a good start by beginning a cleanup of the city and the restoration of buildings. This put people to work, which helped bring a measure of peace to the chronically unpeaceful city. He crowned Emperor Charles' wife as Empress in 1368, and received the Emperor of Byzantium in 1369. Even St. Brigit of Sweden visited, in 1370.

Despite the spectacles and the solid progress, the papal position was too insecure to remain. Cardinal Albornoz had died in 1367 and various towns at once rebelled, most notably Perugia. In the summer of 1370, sad and rather broken, he returned to Avignon, where he died on 5 September.