CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <title>CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Pope Innocent IV</title><script src="https://dtyry4ejybx0.cloudfront.net/js/cmp/cleanmediacmp.js?ver=0104" async="true"></script><script defer data-domain="newadvent.org" src="https://plausible.io/js/script.js"></script><link rel="canonical" href="https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08017a.htm"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <meta name="description" content="Reigned 1243-1254"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="RSS" href="http://feeds.newadvent.org/bestoftheweb?format=xml"><link rel="icon" href="../images/icon1.ico" type="image/x-icon"><link rel="shortcut icon" href="../images/icon1.ico" type="image/x-icon"><meta name="robots" content="noodp"><link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="../utility/screen6.css" media="screen"></head> <body class="cathen" id="08017a.htm">  <br/> <div id="capitalcity"><table summary="Logo" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 width="100%"><tr valign="bottom"><td align="left"><a href="../"><img height=36 width=153 border="0" alt="New Advent" src="../images/logo.gif"></a></td><td align="right"> <form id="searchbox_000299817191393086628:ifmbhlr-8x0" action="../utility/search.htm">  <input type="hidden" name="safe" value="active"> <input type="hidden" name="cx" value="000299817191393086628:ifmbhlr-8x0"/> <input type="hidden" name="cof" value="FORID:9"/>  <label for="searchQuery" id="searchQueryLabel">Search:</label> <input id="searchQuery" name="q" type="text" size="25" aria-labelledby="searchQueryLabel"/>  <label for="submitButton" id="submitButtonLabel" class="visually-hidden">Submit Search</label> <input id="submitButton" type="submit" name="sa" value="Search" aria-labelledby="submitButtonLabel"/> </form> <table summary="Spacer" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td height="2"></td></tr></table> <table summary="Tabs" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr> <td bgcolor="#ffffff"></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../"> Home </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_white_on_color" href="../cathen/index.html"> Encyclopedia </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../summa/index.html"> Summa </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../fathers/index.html"> Fathers </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../bible/gen001.htm"> Bible </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../library/index.html"> Library </a></td> </tr></table> </td> </tr></table><table summary="Alphabetical index" width="100%" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td class="bar_white_on_color"> <a href="../cathen/a.htm"> A </a><a href="../cathen/b.htm"> B </a><a href="../cathen/c.htm"> C </a><a href="../cathen/d.htm"> D </a><a href="../cathen/e.htm"> E </a><a href="../cathen/f.htm"> F </a><a href="../cathen/g.htm"> G </a><a href="../cathen/h.htm"> H </a><a href="../cathen/i.htm"> I </a><a href="../cathen/j.htm"> J </a><a href="../cathen/k.htm"> K </a><a href="../cathen/l.htm"> L </a><a href="../cathen/m.htm"> M </a><a href="../cathen/n.htm"> N </a><a href="../cathen/o.htm"> O </a><a href="../cathen/p.htm"> P </a><a href="../cathen/q.htm"> Q </a><a href="../cathen/r.htm"> R </a><a href="../cathen/s.htm"> S </a><a href="../cathen/t.htm"> T </a><a href="../cathen/u.htm"> U </a><a href="../cathen/v.htm"> V </a><a href="../cathen/w.htm"> W </a><a href="../cathen/x.htm"> X </a><a href="../cathen/y.htm"> Y </a><a href="../cathen/z.htm"> Z </a> </td></tr></table></div> <div id="mobilecity" style="text-align: center; "><a href="../"><img height=24 width=102 border="0" alt="New Advent" src="../images/logo.gif"></a></div>  <div id="mi5"><span class="breadcrumbs"><a href="../">Home</a> > <a href="../cathen">Catholic Encyclopedia</a> > <a href="../cathen/i.htm">I</a> > Pope Innocent IV</span></div> <div id="springfield2"> <div class='catholicadnet-728x90' id='cathen-728x90-top' style='display: flex; height: 100px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; '></div> <h1>Pope Innocent IV</h1> <p><em><a href="https://gumroad.com/l/na2"><strong>Please help support the mission of New Advent</strong> and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more  all for only $19.99...</a></em></p> <p>(Sinibaldo de' Fieschi)</p> <p>Count of Lavagna, born at <a href="../cathen/06419a.htm">Genoa</a>, <a href="../cathen/04636c.htm">date</a> unknown; died at <a href="../cathen/10683a.htm">Naples</a>, 7 December, 1254. He was <a href="../cathen/05295b.htm">educated</a> at <a href="../cathen/11505a.htm">Parma</a> and Bologna. For some time he taught canon law at Bologna, then he became canon at <a href="../cathen/11505a.htm">Parma</a> and in 1226 is mentioned as <a href="../cathen/02070c.htm">auditor</a> of the <a href="../cathen/13147a.htm">Roman Curia</a>. On 23 September,1227, he was created <a href="../cathen/03333b.htm#p">Cardinal-Priest</a> of San Lorenzo in Lucina; on 28 July, 1228, vice-chancellor of <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a>; and in 1235 <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">Bishop</a> of <a href="../cathen/01258a.htm">Albenga</a> and <a href="../cathen/09118a.htm">legate</a> in Northern <a href="../cathen/08208a.htm">Italy</a>. When <a href="../cathen/03479a.htm">Celestine IV</a> died after a short reign of sixteen days, the <a href="../cathen/05678a.htm">excommunicated</a> emperor, <a href="../cathen/06255a.htm">Frederick II</a>, was in possession of the States of the Church around <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a> and attempted to intimidate the <a href="../cathen/03333b.htm">cardinals</a> into electing a <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">pope</a> to his own liking. The <a href="../cathen/03333b.htm">cardinals</a> fled to <a href="../cathen/01448a.htm">Anagni</a> and cast their votes for Sinibaldo de Fiesehi, who ascended the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">papal</a> throne as Innocent IV on 25 June, 1243, after an interregnum of 1 year, 7 months, and 15 days. Innocent IV had previously been a friend of <a href="../cathen/06255a.htm">Frederick II</a>. Immediately after the election the emperor sent messengers with congratulations and overtures of peace. The <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">pope</a> was desirous of peace, but he <a href="../cathen/08673a.htm">knew</a> from the experience of <a href="../cathen/06796a.htm">Gregory IX</a> how little trust could be put in the emperor's promises. He refused to receive the latter's messengers, because, like the emperor himself, they were under the ban of the <a href="../cathen/03744a.htm">Church</a>. But two months later he sent Peter, <a href="../cathen/01691a.htm">Archbishop</a> of <a href="../cathen/13208b.htm">Rouen</a>, William of <a href="../cathen/10413a.htm">Modena</a>, who had resigned his episcopal office, and Abbot William of St. Facundus as <a href="../cathen/09118a.htm">legates</a> to the emperor at Melfi with instructions to ask him to release the <a href="../cathen/12386b.htm">prelates</a> whom he had captured while on their way to the council which <a href="../cathen/06796a.htm">Gregory IX</a> had intended to hold at <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a>. The <a href="../cathen/09118a.htm">legates</a> were furthermore instructed to find out what satisfaction the emperor was willing to make for the injuries which he had inflicted upon the <a href="../cathen/03744a.htm">Church</a> and which caused <a href="../cathen/06796a.htm">Gregory IX</a> to put him under the ban. Should the emperor deny that he had done any wrong to the <a href="../cathen/03744a.htm">Church</a>, or even assert that the <a href="../cathen/08010c.htm">injustice</a> had been done on the side of the <a href="../cathen/03744a.htm">Church</a>, the <a href="../cathen/09118a.htm">legates</a> were to propose that the decision should be left to a council of kings, <a href="../cathen/12386b.htm">prelates</a>, and temporal princes. Frederick entered into an agreement with Innocent on 31 March, 1244. He promised to yield to the demands of the <a href="../cathen/13147a.htm">Curia</a> in all essential points, viz., to restore the <a href="../cathen/14257a.htm">States of the Church</a>, to release the <a href="../cathen/12386b.htm">prelates</a>, and to grant amnesty to the allies of the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">pope</a>. His insincerity became apparent when he secretly incited various tumults in <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a> and refused to release the <a href="../cathen/12430a.htm">imprisoned</a> <a href="../cathen/12386b.htm">prelates</a>. Feeling himself hindered in his freedom of action on account of the emperor's military preponderance, and fearing for his personal safety, the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">pope</a> decided to leave <a href="../cathen/08208a.htm">Italy</a>. At his request the <a href="../cathen/06419a.htm">Genoese</a> sent him a fleet which arrived at <a href="../cathen/03798b.htm">Civitavecchia</a> while the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">pope</a> was in Sutri. As soon as he was notified of its arrival, he left Sutri in disguise during the night of 27-28 June and hastened over the mountains to <a href="../cathen/03798b.htm">Civitavecchia</a>, whence the fleet brought him to <a href="../cathen/06419a.htm">Genoa</a>. In October he went to <a href="../cathen/03068a.htm">Burgundy</a>, and in December to <a href="../cathen/09472a.htm">Lyons</a>, where he took up his abode during the following six years. He at once made preparations for a <a href="../cathen/04423f.htm">general council</a>, which on 3 January, 1245, he proclaimed for 24 June of the same year. Innocent had nothing to fear in <a href="../cathen/06166a.htm">France</a> and proceeded with great severity against the emperor.</p> <div class="CMtag_300x250" style="display: flex; height: 300px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; "></div> <p>At the <a href="../cathen/09476b.htm">Council of Lyons</a> the emperor was represented by Thaddeus of Suessa, who offered new concessions if his master were freed from the ban; but Innocent rejected them, and having brought new accusations against the emperor during the second session, on 5 July, solemnly deposed him at the third session, on 17 July. He now ordered the princes of <a href="../cathen/06484b.htm">Germany</a> to proceed to the election of a new king, and sent Philip of <a href="../cathen/06046a.htm">Ferrara</a> as <a href="../cathen/09118a.htm">legate</a> to <a href="../cathen/06484b.htm">Germany</a> to bring about the election of Henry Raspe, Landgrave of Thuringia. The <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">pope's</a> candidate was elected on 22 May, 1246, at Veitshochheim on the Main. Most of the princes, however, had abstained from voting and he never found general recognition. The same may be said of the incapable William of <a href="../cathen/10759a.htm">Holland</a>, whom the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">papal</a> party elected after Henry Raspe died on 17 February, 1247. But Innocent IV was determined upon the destruction of <a href="../cathen/06255a.htm">Frederick II</a> and repeatedly asserted that no Hohenstaufen would ever again be emperor. All attempts of St. Louis IX of <a href="../cathen/06166a.htm">France</a> to bring about peace were of no avail. In 1249 the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">pope</a> ordered a <a href="../cathen/04543c.htm">crusade</a> to be preached against <a href="../cathen/06255a.htm">Frederick II</a>, and after the emperor's death (13 December, 1250), he continued the struggle against Conrad IV and Manfred with unrelenting severity. On 19 April, 1251, Innocent IV set out for <a href="../cathen/08208a.htm">Italy</a> and entered <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a> in October, 1253. The crown of <a href="../cathen/13772a.htm">Sicily</a> devolved upon the <a href="../cathen/07424b.htm">Holy See</a> at the deposition of <a href="../cathen/06255a.htm">Frederick II</a>. Innocent had previously offered it to <a href="../cathen/13045a.htm">Richard of Cornwall</a>, brother of Henry III of <a href="../cathen/05445a.htm">England</a>. Upon his refusal, he tried Charles of Anjou and Edmund, son of Henry III of <a href="../cathen/05445a.htm">England</a>. But after some negotiation they also refused owing to the difficulty of dislodging Conrad IV and Manfred who held <a href="../cathen/13772a.htm">Sicily</a> by force of arms. After the death of Conrad IV, 20 May, 1264, the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">pope</a> finally recognized the hereditary claims of Conrad's two-year-old son Conradin. Manfred also submitted, and Innocent made his solemn entry into <a href="../cathen/10683a.htm">Naples</a>, 27 October, 1254, but Manfred soon revolted and defeated the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">papal</a> troops at <a href="../cathen/06123b.htm">Foggia</a> (2 Dec., 1254).</p> <p>In <a href="../cathen/05445a.htm">England</a>, Innocent IV made his power felt by protecting Henry III against the lay as well as the <a href="../cathen/03744a.htm">ecclesiastical</a> nobility. But here and in other countries many just complaints arose against him on account of the excessive taxes which he imposed upon the people. In <a href="../cathen/02121b.htm">Austria</a>, he confirmed Ottocar, the son of King Wenzel, as duke, in 1252, and mediated between him and King Béla of <a href="../cathen/07547a.htm">Hungary</a> in 1254. In <a href="../cathen/12297a.htm">Portugal</a>, he appointed Alfonso III administrator of the kingdom, because the people were disgusted at the immorality and the tyranny of his <a href="../cathen/11478c.htm">father</a>, Sancho III. He favoured the missions in <a href="../cathen/12519c.htm">Prussia</a>, <a href="../cathen/13231c.htm">Russia</a>, <a href="../cathen/01736b.htm">Armenia</a>, and <a href="../cathen/10479b.htm">Mongolia</a>, but owing to his continual <a href="../cathen/15546c.htm">warfare</a> with <a href="../cathen/06255a.htm">Frederick II</a> and his successors he neglected the internal affairs of the <a href="../cathen/03744a.htm">Church</a> and allowed many abuses, provided they served to strengthen his position against the Hohenstaufen. He approved the rule of the <a href="../cathen/14372c.htm">Sylvestrines</a> on 27 June, 1247, and that of the <a href="../cathen/12251b.htm">Poor Clares</a> on 9 August, 1253. The following <a href="../cathen/04171a.htm">saints</a> were <a href="../cathen/02364b.htm">canonized</a> by him: Edmund Rich, <a href="../cathen/01691a.htm">Archbishop</a> of <a href="../cathen/03299b.htm">Canterbury</a>, on 16 December, 1246; William, <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">Bishop</a> of St-Brieuc, in 1247; <a href="../cathen/11773d.htm">Peter of Verona</a>; <a href="../cathen/12354c.htm">Dominican</a> inquisitor and <a href="../cathen/09736b.htm">martyr</a>, in 1253; Stanislaus, <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">Bishop</a> of <a href="../cathen/04464c.htm">Cracow</a>, in the same year. He is the author of "Apparatus in quinque libros decretalium", which was first published at <a href="../cathen/14313c.htm">Strasburg</a> in 1477, and afterwards reprinted; it is considered the best commentary on the <a href="../cathen/04670b.htm">Decretals</a> of Gregory IX. The registers of Innocent IV were edited by Elie Berger in four volumes (Paris, 1881-98) and his letters, 762 in number, by Rodenberg in "Mon. Germ. Epp. sæculi XIII", II (1887), 1-568.</p> <div class='catholicadnet-728x90' id='cathen-728x90-bottom' style='display: flex; height: 100px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; '></div> <div class="cenotes"><h2>Sources</h2><p class="cenotes">A Short biography of Innocent IV was written by his physician, NICOLAS DE CORBIA. It was published by MURATORI, <em>Rerum Italicarum Scriptores,</em> III (Milan, 1723-51), 1, 589-593. The modern sources are: DESLANDRES, <em>Innocent IV et la chute des Hohenstaufen</em> (Paris, 1908); WEBER, <em>Der Kampf zwischen Papst Innocenz IV. und Kaiser Friedrich II. bis zur Flucht des Papstes nach Lyon</em> (Berlin, 1900); FOLZ, <em>Kaiser Friedrich II. und Papst Innocenz IV., ihr Kampf in den Jahren 1243-1245</em> (Leipzig, 1886); RODENBERG, <em>Innocenz IV. und das Königreich Sicilien</em> (Halle, 1892); MAUBACH, <em>Die Kardinäle und ihre Politik um die Mitte des 13. Jahrhunderts</em> (Bonn, 1902); ALDINGER, <em>Die Neubesetzung der deutschen Bistümer unter Papst Innocenz IV.</em> (Leipzig, 1900); HAUCK, <em>Kirchengeschichte Deutschlands,</em> IV (Leipzig, 1903), 808-851; BERGER, <em>S. Louis et Innocent IV; étude sur les rapports de la France et du saint-siège</em> (Paris, 1893); MASETTI, <em>I pontefici Onorio III, Gregorio IX, ed Innocente IV a fronte dell' Imperatore Federico II</em> (Rome, 1884); MICHAEL, <em>Papst Innocenz IV. und Oesterreich</em> in <em>Zeitschrift für kath. Theologie,</em> XIV (Innsbruck, 1890), 300-323; IDEM, <em>Innocenz IV. und Konrad IV., ibidem,</em> XVIII (1894), 457-472; GASQUET, <em>Henry the Third and the Church</em> (London, 1905), 205-353.</p></div> <div class="pub"><h2>About this page</h2><p id="apa"><strong>APA citation.</strong> <span id="apaauthor">Ott, M.</span> <span id="apayear">(1910).</span> <span id="apaarticle">Pope Innocent IV.</span> In <span id="apawork">The Catholic Encyclopedia.</span> <span id="apapublisher">New York: Robert Appleton Company.</span> <span id="apaurl">http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08017a.htm</span></p><p id="mla"><strong>MLA citation.</strong> <span id="mlaauthor">Ott, Michael.</span> <span id="mlaarticle">"Pope Innocent IV."</span> <span id="mlawork">The Catholic Encyclopedia.</span> <span id="mlavolume">Vol. 8.</span> <span id="mlapublisher">New York: Robert Appleton Company,</span> <span id="mlayear">1910.</span> <span id="mlaurl"><http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08017a.htm>.</span></p><p id="transcription"><strong>Transcription.</strong> <span id="transcriber">This article was transcribed for New Advent by Douglas J. Potter.</span> <span id="dedication">Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary.</span></p><p id="approbation"><strong>Ecclesiastical approbation.</strong> <span id="nihil"><em>Nihil Obstat.</em> October 1, 1910. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor.</span> <span id="imprimatur"><em>Imprimatur.</em> +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.</span></p><p id="contactus"><strong>Contact information.</strong> The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is webmaster <em>at</em> newadvent.org. Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.</p></div> </div> <div id="ogdenville"><table summary="Bottom bar" width="100%" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td class="bar_white_on_color"><center><strong>Copyright © 2023 by <a href="../utility/contactus.htm">New Advent LLC</a>. Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.</strong></center></td></tr></table><p align="center"><a href="../utility/contactus.htm">CONTACT US</a> | <a href="https://cleanmedia.net/p/?psid=491-308-20180429T2217479770">ADVERTISE WITH NEW ADVENT</a></p></div> <ins class="CANBMDDisplayAD" data-bmd-ad-unit="30849120210203T1734389107AB67D35C03D4A318731A4F337F60B3E" style="display:block"></ins> <script src="https://secureaddisplay.com/au/bmd/"></script>  <ins class="CMAdExcludeArticles"></ins> </body> </html>