Was the Avignon Papacy politically motivated?

Question: Was the Avignon Papacy politically motivated!?

Why or why not!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Of course!. Who controlled the Pope multiplied his political power by a huge lot!. Besides, the Pope at that time was trying to grab power over the kings and the French king took it very badly!.

By the 9th century the Pope was under the order of the German Emperor, through the centuries the church managed to get away from that authority and tried to have the Pope recognised at having spiritual authority over everyone, kings included!.
By mid Middle Age the development of the middle class gave rise to a huge change in society as non religious people went to universities and became the driving force in discoveries, technological, astronomical!.!.!. The church lost its importance as the sole source of knowledge and development!. Instead the popes tried to tighten their grip on the kingdoms and their leaders!.
So when Philip le Bel decided to tax the clergy the Pope answered that he had no right to do it without the permission of the Church!. Things went rapidly down the drain, ending with the Pope declaring with the Papal bull Unam sanctam that kings and emperors had to obey the Pope,
The very powerful French king took it badly and turned against the Pope!. Boniface VIII died soon after that!. His successor decided to try to make peace with the French king but died quickly!. The next Pope Clement VII was French, as there were problems in Rome (he feared for his life) and because he wanted to follow closely the trial of the Templar knights he decided to settle for a time in Avignon under the protection of the French king!.
Six Popes later Gregory XI decided to go back to Rome, however in 1378 the cardinals revolted against the actual Pope Urbain VI and elected another one who decided to go back to Avignon (the French were rooting for him)!. It was only a Pope later that Avignon stopped being a papal city, when a third one was elected (Alexander V) and everyone in Europe decided to go for him and abandon the two others, thus ending the schism!. Rome became again the only papal city!.

So yes, Avignon was due to politic, politics, political motives!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Yes, during the western schism, 1378-1417, the papacy was moved to Avignon, even though there was also a pope in Rome!. this is known as the Western Schism or to many western University Students, as The Great Schism!.*Www@QuestionHome@Com

the avignon papacy was politically motivated because the pope was chosen by the king of france!. it was the first time that the pope was housed outside rome owing also to political conflict between france and the italian states!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

yes,just as it is today,more about politics than religion,Www@QuestionHome@Com