Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1868-04-17

occupied by the sovereign pontifs, WAS
/ doubtless fitted up and furnished in q man
| ner corresponding to the dignity and inau-
encc Of the occupants. Il is now used for
military barracks. The officers were very
courteous, and was kindly permitted by
| them to 20 into every part. While | was
greatly interested in going through room af.
ter room, ] could not fail TO think Of the
! wonderful difference between its present. APP,
pearance, as the quarterpg place Of Louis
Napoleon soldiers and that which it had
| 800 years ago, when it was the seat Of the
Pspal power and court. II may be well to
relate here something Of the history Of the
church. On account OF the remarkable de,
cretal Of Pope Boniface, in 1902, asserting
that the temporal power was inferior to the
spiritual, and that the Pope has the right to
appoint, correct, aud depose sovereigns vt
his pleasure, the King Of France, Philip w..
surnsmsd the Fair, being opposed TO these
arrogant pretensions, and believing that the
decretal was especially intended for him, res
piled by sccusing the Pope Of simony, here
sy, and other crimes. The Pope excommu>
nicated him bu. the pontiF soon after died.
Philip determined that the residence Of the
Holy See should he in France, instead Of It.
ally. Avignon and the surrounding district
way purchased Of Joanna Of Napier, by
whom it was owned, and Pope Clement w.,
who was the 6rst Of the sovereign pontifs to
wear the triple mitre, made it the capital Of
the Paracy. This was A. d. 1909; and
Avignon continued to Be the capital till 1878.
This period has been somewhat derlsively
called the Babylonish captivity" When
Pope Gregory ri. died here 10 1879, two
popes were elected, viz; Urban VI and
Clement VII. The former took up his
abode 10 Rome, and was acknowledged by
the greater part Of the papa' countries OF
Europe while Clement the VII. resided in
Avignon, and was Acknowledged to be the
bead Of the church by France, Spain, and
Scotland. This period was called . the pc.
riod Of the great schism," and il lasted 81
wears, OF until the abdica,ion Of Clemefia
TIli., in l429. M sa y
a The Papal Court held in the Avignon
Palace vas exceedingly splendid, and great
sovereigns came here to be crowned bv the
sspreme ronsihs. NJ conductor took me
into ,hs Pope's private chapel, which was
quite limited in size, aud also into the pal
ace dungeon. This latter was the room in
which the celebrated Rienxi, the dictator Of
sue CITY u ISCiibe, WIS CUuHHeu - - CtImfus
sl AAer period Of a few months of great
authority and influence in the Italian capi,
tai, reaction took place, and he was obli>
gsd TO nee into Bohemia This was IN lsf7. !
After the hrse Of Ave years, he was arrest
ID, and brought to Avignon, and put in the |
dungeon referred TO above and had it not |
been for the persevering intercess;on OF his |
true and tried friend. the Italian poet Pes |
trarch, who vas then living in Avignon, and
the persuasive power Of his ows eloquence,
and the death Of Pope Clement VI, be would |
have been executed. On the accession of
Innocent VI. to the rapacy, the dictatorship
Of ROME vas restored to Rienzi; but 6nding |
i necessary to practics some severity in orr
der to keep proper control Of affairs,
the people became aliena,ed from him. and |
he was massacred in Rome, Oct. sth, 1854. |
left this old palace, and IL envifons. we'll
plea with my excursion 10 il, and quite |
willing to leave Avignon for Arlos and Mar |
seilles.
B. r. GlrFosD.