My thesis considers the pontificate of Urban V (1362-1370), with particular reference to the years he spent in Rome (1367-1370.) It examines the circumstances of his departure from Avignon and the course followed by events over the subsequent years, with a view to explaining Why he chose to return the papacy to Avignon once more. It goes on to examine the practical measures taken by the pontiff to arrange the transplantation of his court from France to Italy, concentrating on the household as the institution key to the success or failure of this enterprise. The thesis then goes on to consider the responses to Urban V's decision, with a view to deciding whether these and other obstacles encountered by the pope as he attempted to settle in Rome contributed to his eventual failure and the curia's return to AVignon in 1370. In tackling these questions the thesis reassesses the accepted historiographical model of the papal court in Avignon - in particular the question of its nature as a society - and with a view to later developments suggests why the period of medieval papal history referred to as the Avignon should have come to a catastrophic end with the outbreak of the Great Schism in 1378.

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This study examines the crusading movement during the reign of Pope Gregory X in the latter part of the thirteenth century, before the Latin presence in the Levant came to an end. It seeks to demonstrate the important position of this little-known pope, who formed the bridge between what can now be seen as two separate eras in the crusading period, namely, the era of the traditional passagium generale, and the ‘new’ era of the passagium particulare. To do this, it will study Western and Muslim sources to understand the condition of the Holy Land during Gregory’s pontificate to see the effect it had on the manner in which he organised his crusade, using both traditional and ‘new’ methods. By drawing on sources from crusading in Iberia, it will show that Gregory approached the crusade flexibly, and was not, as commonly described by historians, wholly obsessed with the Holy Land. It also seeks to dispel one of the more popular myths surrounding Gregory, which is that he wanted to change the government of the kingdom of Jerusalem by putting Charles of Anjou in charge there. A study of the Angevin chancery records – little used by crusade historians – will demonstrate that it was not Gregory’s idea, but rather Charles’ own. Finally, using Gregory’s papal registers and chronicle evidence, this study will attempt to imagine the crusade that would have occurred had Gregory not died prematurely. This includes a discussion of the unprecedented scope of its recruitment as evidence of Gregory’s exceptional ability as a crusade organiser, as well as the evidence and reasons for a dramatic change in direction away from Egypt.

In what follows it is argued that Richard Sibthorp suffered unfairly, although quite predictably, at the hands of contemporary commentators and that his biographers have too readily reflected their bewilderment. Examined more closely, his life raises important questions regarding the nature of religious authority. Far from being weak-minded, he accepted ridicule as the cost of remaining loyal to dearly held beliefs. Although Sibthorp must remain a minor player in the history of the nineteenth century Church, his preaching was widely influential and the widespread fascination with his erratic pilgrimage contributed both to challenging and ultimately reinforcing historical prejudices.

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Ma recherche porte sur l’action diplomatique et religieuse des cardinaux d’Este et sur leur rôle de médiateurs entre l’Italie et la France. L’objectif est de faire apparaître les fondements géopolitiques de leur action, en prenant soin de faire ressortir les différentes échelles de leur action. L’emprise territoriale des cardinaux d’Este se manifeste, en effet, par l’existence de relais italiens et français. La présence d’Ippolito II d’Este et de Luigi d’Este est étudiée aussi bien sous l’angle de leur présence matérielle que sous celui de leur participation aux enjeux politiques du temps. La recherche s’inscrit à la croisée de plusieurs historiographies. Tout d’abord, elle cherche à affiner la connaissance de la sociologie des cardinaux au XVIe siècle. Ensuite, elle reprend les apports de l’histoire des relations internationales pour revenir sur le rôle des deux cardinaux d’Este comme supports de la couronne française à Rome et médiateurs pontificaux à la cour de France, et étudier leurs pratiques. Enfin, l’analyse vise à reprendre la catégorie d’humanisme chrétien, conceptualisée par Erasme, pour voir si elle constitue une ligne directrice de leur conduite religieuse. En prêtant attention à leur démarche sur la scène internationale, l’étude vise également à montrer que se dessine une identité catholique qui n’est pas hétérodoxe, mais s’insère bien dans la plus stricte orthodoxie confessionnelle. En revanche, la traversée des monts entraîne des réajustements sur le plan de l’expression et de la représentation de la foi. / My research focuses on the d’Este cardinals’ diplomatic and religious actions and on their role as mediators between Italy and France. My objective is to uncover the geopolitical foundations of their actions whilst highlighting the different scales thereof. The territorial emprise of the d’Este cardinals is actually revealed by the existence of Italian and French relays. I study the presence of Ippolito II and Luigi d’Este both in terms of their material presence and their participation in the political stakes of the time. This research combines multiple forms of historiography. First, it develops the existing knowledge of the cardinals’ sociology in the sixteenth century. It then considers contributions from the history of international relations and how they pertain to the roles of the two d’Este cardinals as supporters of the French crown in Rome and pontifical mediators in the French court and studies their methods. I conclude by analysing Christian humanism as conceptualised by Erasmus to see whether it constitutes a guideline for their religious conduct. By examining their modus operandi on the international scene, this thesis argues that a Catholic identity is emerging which is not heterodox, but rather which fits into the strictest denominational orthodoxy. Nevertheless, crossing the mountains leads to readjustments in manners of expressing and representing the Catholic faith.

This thesis is a study of self-knowledge in the writings of Catherine of Siena. The introductory chapter clarifies the kind of self-knowledge she is describing, viz. metaphysical self-knowledge which, in the case of mystics such as Catherine, blossoms into mystical self-knowledge. Catherine is then situated within the framework of her own era. A survey of catherinian literature follows. Since her major symbol for self-knowledge is the cell, the concept of the cell in the Church tradition of the West, and its influence on Catherine, is explored. The major aspect of the enquiry is the tracing of the chronological unfolding of Catherine's doctrine of self-knowledge, working with the texts themselves. This is done under the headings of her three main symbols for self-knowledge, la eel/a (the cell), la casa (the house) and la citta dell'anima (the city of the soul). Each of these sections is concluded with an interpretation of the significance of the unfolding of that symbol within Catherine's thought and the chapter itself is rounded off by an interpretation of the three symbols for self-knowledge in their integration and interconnectedness. Catherine communicates her experience of mystical self-knowledge by means of a complex system of images and symbols, all of which fit together to form a whole. This warrants an investigation into the role of the imagination, imagery and symbol in mysticism, and explores Catherine's use of imagery and symbol. The study shows Catherine's own gradual integration of mystical experience and ministry as it takes place within her experience and in the development of her thought. What we are able to see, by studying the texts, is the formation and strengthening of the underlying unity in Catherine between the inner movement of mystical love and outgoing concern for others which is redemptive love. These two are really one. / Christian, Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Religious Studies)

This thesis examines the development the cult of St Margaret at Dunfermline as a royal cult from 1070, the moment when St Margaret married King Malcolm III at Dunfermline, to 1420, the year of the burial of Robert duke of Albany who was the last royal member to be buried at Dunfermline. Scholars have focused on the life of St Margaret and her reputation or achievement from the biographical, institutional and hagiographical point of view. Although recent historians have considered St Margaret as a royal saint and Dunfermline as a royal mausoleum, they have approached this subject with relatively simple patterns, compared to the studies of the cults of European royal saints and their centres, in particular, those of English and French Kingdoms which influenced Scottish royalty. Just as other European royal cults such as the cults at Westminster and St-Denis have been researched from the point of view of several aspects, so the royal cult at Dunfermline can be approached in many ways. Therefore, this thesis will examine the development of Dunfermline Abbey as a royal cult centre through studying the abbey and the cult of St Margaret from the point of view of miracles and pilgrimage, lay patronage, and liturgical and devotional space. The examination of St Margaret’s miracles stories and pilgrimage to Dunfermline contribute to understanding these stories in the context of the development of the cult. The study of lay patronage explains the significance of royal favour and non-royal patrons in relation to the development of the cult, and how and why the royal cult developed and declined, and how the monks of Dunfermline promoted or sustained the cult of the saint. Lastly, the research of the liturgical and devotional space provides an explanation of the change of liturgical space from the point of view of the development of the cult.

This thesis is a study of self-knowledge in the writings of Catherine of Siena. The introductory chapter clarifies the kind of self-knowledge she is describing, viz. metaphysical self-knowledge which, in the case of mystics such as Catherine, blossoms into mystical self-knowledge. Catherine is then situated within the framework of her own era. A survey of catherinian literature follows. Since her major symbol for self-knowledge is the cell, the concept of the cell in the Church tradition of the West, and its influence on Catherine, is explored. The major aspect of the enquiry is the tracing of the chronological unfolding of Catherine's doctrine of self-knowledge, working with the texts themselves. This is done under the headings of her three main symbols for self-knowledge, la eel/a (the cell), la casa (the house) and la citta dell'anima (the city of the soul). Each of these sections is concluded with an interpretation of the significance of the unfolding of that symbol within Catherine's thought and the chapter itself is rounded off by an interpretation of the three symbols for self-knowledge in their integration and interconnectedness. Catherine communicates her experience of mystical self-knowledge by means of a complex system of images and symbols, all of which fit together to form a whole. This warrants an investigation into the role of the imagination, imagery and symbol in mysticism, and explores Catherine's use of imagery and symbol. The study shows Catherine's own gradual integration of mystical experience and ministry as it takes place within her experience and in the development of her thought. What we are able to see, by studying the texts, is the formation and strengthening of the underlying unity in Catherine between the inner movement of mystical love and outgoing concern for others which is redemptive love. These two are really one. / Christian, Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Religious Studies)

This thesis is a study of the works of the historian Flodoard of Rheims (893/4–966), author of two substantial prose narratives (Annales and Historia Remensis ecclesiae) and an epic verse history (De triumphis Christi). Flodoard is the only major Frankish chronicler of his day, so his accounts of the political history of the West Frankish, Ottonian and Italian kingdoms are of paramount importance to modern scholars. Flodoard's Annales have been considered a reliable and neutral account of contemporary affairs, so historians have been content to mine them for ‘facts' informing wider debates concerning the history of late Carolingian Europe. Additionally, he has been judged a conscientious, source-driven archivist: his Historia Remensis ecclesiae preserves an abundance of otherwise-lost documentary sources which has been used by scholars to illuminate the church of Rheims' illustrious history. However, Flodoard was an actor on the highest political stage. He spent time at royal courts, travelled to Rome, and regularly communicated with the leading political and intellectual figures of his day. He was also deeply enmeshed in the affairs of the powerful archbishopric of Rheims. This study demonstrates that Flodoard's histories are not easily extricated from the context of his own turbulent career. It argues that Flodoard cannot be understood without reference to the vicissitudes of the complex political environment in which he operated. By taking Flodoard on his own terms and situating his historical works in their appropriate political and intellectual contexts, this thesis challenges the conventional way we read Flodoard, asking what kind of information we can reliably interrogate him for, whom his audiences were, why he wrote history at all and whether he is truly representative of his age.