Pons d'Arsac
Encyclopedia
Pons d'Arsac was the Archbishop of Narbonne from 1162 until 1181. He was archbishop at an important time in the history of Narbonne
and Languedoc
in general; a time when heresy, in the form of Catharism, was spreading and gaining power and acceptance while the Roman Catholic Church
was forming a response.
In 1165, Pons called a council (or colloquy
) at Lombers
, near Albi, to deal with the spreading Catharism in his archdiocese, largely in response to the council held at Tours
in 1163 under Pope Alexander III
. The council was a public debate between Cathars (who called themselves bos-homes or bos Crestias) and orthodox Catholic delegates. Constance, daughter of Louis VI of France
, and most of the citizens of Albi and Lombers were present and the decision of the council in favour of orthodoxy is still preserved. The judges of the council had been decided upon by representatives of both the Cathars and the Catholics and the latter had been forced to agree to argue solely on New Testament
grounds.
In 1166, Pons solemnly confirmed the decision of Lombers at a council in Capestang
. However, the power and influence of the heretics was so demoralising to the faithful that some Cistercian monks from Villemagne
near Agde
abandoned their vows and their monastery to marry and the archbishop was unable to compel them to return without papal interference, which was probably ineffectual as well. In 1173, both Pons and Ermengard of Narbonne sent separate pleas to Louis VII of France
for aid against, in Pons' words, "the oppression of heretics" which put "the ship of Saint Peter ... in danger of sinking."
In 1176, Pons was granted all the vicecomital rights in the town of Ferrals by Ermengard of Narbonne "for his fidelity and service." Pons was a close ally of Ermengard and they shared, on very amicable terms, the lordship in the city of Narbonne.
In 1178, Pons was part of a papal legation
made up of the Cistercian abbot of Clairvaux
Henry of Marcy
, Jean des Bellesmains, Peter of Pavia, and Garin, Archbishop of Bourges which was destined to fight Catharism and those lords of Languedoc who supported it or refused to actively campaign against it, among other perceived persecutors of the Church. Pons was the only member of the legation who came from the region to which it was sent and he was therefore most intimately aware of its politics.
In 1179, he attended the Third Lateran Council. Upon his return, in accordance with the twenty-seventh canon of III Lateran, he pronounced excommunication on Raymond V of Toulouse
, Roger II of Carcassonne, and Bernard Ato VI of Nîmes. The twenty seventh canon prohibited the use of mercenaries, such as routiers, coterills, bascules, and Aragonese
.
In 1181, Henry of Marcy returned as legate to Languedoc and this time deposed Pons from his archdiocese. The exact reasons for his deposition are not known, though a thirteenth century Cistercian chronicle from Clairvaux says that he was "ineffective and blameworthy", but such a statement lacks any specification of fault. It is possible that archbishop had raised Henry's ire in the preceding legation by questioning the piety of Raymond of Toulouse, who had called in the Cistercians for aid against heresy, but who was an enemy of Pons close ally, Ermengard of Narbonne. Or perhaps he had been too closely aligned with Ermengard's ally, Roger of Carcassonne, to whom the papal legates took great offence. Whatever the case, not only Pons, but also three archdeacons and the sacristan were removed from the church of Narbonne and Pope Lucius III
described it as "deprived of all personnel."
Narbonne
Narbonne is a commune in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Once a prosperous port, it is now located about from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea...
and Languedoc
Languedoc
Languedoc is a former province of France, now continued in the modern-day régions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées in the south of France, and whose capital city was Toulouse, now in Midi-Pyrénées. It had an area of approximately 42,700 km² .-Geographical Extent:The traditional...
in general; a time when heresy, in the form of Catharism, was spreading and gaining power and acceptance while the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
was forming a response.
In 1165, Pons called a council (or colloquy
Colloquy (religious)
A religious colloquy is a meeting to settle differences of doctrine or dogma, also called a colloquium , as in the historical Colloquy at Poissy, and like the legal colloquy, most often with a certain degree of judging involved...
) at Lombers
Lombers
Lombers is a commune in the Tarn department in southern France.-History:Lombers was a significant centre of Catharism in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. It was the location of a Catholic-Cathar debate, perhaps in the 1180s, between Guillaume Peyre de Brens, Catholic bishop of Albi, and...
, near Albi, to deal with the spreading Catharism in his archdiocese, largely in response to the council held at Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
in 1163 under Pope Alexander III
Pope Alexander III
Pope Alexander III , born Rolando of Siena, was Pope from 1159 to 1181. He is noted in history for laying the foundation stone for the Notre Dame de Paris.-Church career:...
. The council was a public debate between Cathars (who called themselves bos-homes or bos Crestias) and orthodox Catholic delegates. Constance, daughter of Louis VI of France
Louis VI of France
Louis VI , called the Fat , was King of France from 1108 until his death . Chronicles called him "roi de Saint-Denis".-Reign:...
, and most of the citizens of Albi and Lombers were present and the decision of the council in favour of orthodoxy is still preserved. The judges of the council had been decided upon by representatives of both the Cathars and the Catholics and the latter had been forced to agree to argue solely on New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
grounds.
In 1166, Pons solemnly confirmed the decision of Lombers at a council in Capestang
Capestang
Capestang is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France.-History:In antiquity, the nearby marshes were crossed by the 1500 metre long Roman Pont Serme...
. However, the power and influence of the heretics was so demoralising to the faithful that some Cistercian monks from Villemagne
Villemagne
Villemagne is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.-Population:...
near Agde
Agde
Agde is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France. It is the Mediterranean port of the Canal du Midi.-Location:Agde is located on the river Hérault, 4 km from the Mediterranean Sea, and 750 km from Paris...
abandoned their vows and their monastery to marry and the archbishop was unable to compel them to return without papal interference, which was probably ineffectual as well. In 1173, both Pons and Ermengard of Narbonne sent separate pleas to Louis VII of France
Louis VII of France
Louis VII was King of France, the son and successor of Louis VI . He ruled from 1137 until his death. He was a member of the House of Capet. His reign was dominated by feudal struggles , and saw the beginning of the long rivalry between France and England...
for aid against, in Pons' words, "the oppression of heretics" which put "the ship of Saint Peter ... in danger of sinking."
In 1176, Pons was granted all the vicecomital rights in the town of Ferrals by Ermengard of Narbonne "for his fidelity and service." Pons was a close ally of Ermengard and they shared, on very amicable terms, the lordship in the city of Narbonne.
In 1178, Pons was part of a papal legation
Papal legate
A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
made up of the Cistercian abbot of Clairvaux
Clairvaux
Clairvaux can mean the following:*Clairvaux, a former commune in France, now part of Ville-sous-la-Ferté. It is the home of**Clairvaux Abbey in France**Clairvaux Prison, France, on the site of the abbey*Saint Bernard of Clairvaux...
Henry of Marcy
Henry of Marcy
Blessed Henry of Marcy was a Cistercian abbot first of Hautecombe and then of Clairvaux from 1177 until 1179. He was created Cardinal Bishop of Albano at the Third Lateran Council in 1179....
, Jean des Bellesmains, Peter of Pavia, and Garin, Archbishop of Bourges which was destined to fight Catharism and those lords of Languedoc who supported it or refused to actively campaign against it, among other perceived persecutors of the Church. Pons was the only member of the legation who came from the region to which it was sent and he was therefore most intimately aware of its politics.
In 1179, he attended the Third Lateran Council. Upon his return, in accordance with the twenty-seventh canon of III Lateran, he pronounced excommunication on Raymond V of Toulouse
Raymond V of Toulouse
Raymond V was count of Toulouse from 1148 until his death in 1194.He was the son of Alphonse-Jordan. When Alphonse died in the Holy Land in 1148, the county of Toulouse passed to his son Raymond, at the time 14 years old....
, Roger II of Carcassonne, and Bernard Ato VI of Nîmes. The twenty seventh canon prohibited the use of mercenaries, such as routiers, coterills, bascules, and Aragonese
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
.
In 1181, Henry of Marcy returned as legate to Languedoc and this time deposed Pons from his archdiocese. The exact reasons for his deposition are not known, though a thirteenth century Cistercian chronicle from Clairvaux says that he was "ineffective and blameworthy", but such a statement lacks any specification of fault. It is possible that archbishop had raised Henry's ire in the preceding legation by questioning the piety of Raymond of Toulouse, who had called in the Cistercians for aid against heresy, but who was an enemy of Pons close ally, Ermengard of Narbonne. Or perhaps he had been too closely aligned with Ermengard's ally, Roger of Carcassonne, to whom the papal legates took great offence. Whatever the case, not only Pons, but also three archdeacons and the sacristan were removed from the church of Narbonne and Pope Lucius III
Pope Lucius III
Pope Lucius III , born Ubaldo, was pope from 1 September 1181 to his death.A native of the independent republic of Lucca, he was born ca. 1100 as Ubaldo, son of Orlando. He is commonly referred to as a member of the aristocratic family of Allucingoli, but this is not proven...
described it as "deprived of all personnel."
Sources
- Cheyette, Fredric L. Ermengard of Narbonne and the World of the Troubadours. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2001.
- Graham-Leigh, Elaine. The Southern French Nobility and the Albigensian Crusade. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press, 2005. ISBN 1 84383 129 5
- Graham-Leigh, Elaine. "Hirelings and Shepherds: Archbishop Berenguer of Narbonne (1191-1211) and the Ideal Bishop." The English Historical ReviewThe English Historical ReviewThe English Historical Review is an academic journal founded in 1886 and published by the Oxford University Press. It publishes articles on British, European, and World history since the classical era....
, Vol. 116, No. 469. (Nov., 2001), pp 1083–1102. - Lea, Henry Charles. A History of the Inquisition in the Middle Ages. Vol. 1. London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, 1888.