Editing Avignon Papacy (section)

===Cooperation===
[[File:Papst klemens v.jpg|thumb|[[Clement V]] in a later engraving]]
In reaction to the intransigence of popes like Boniface VIII, the French tightened their influence under the papacy, eventually reducing the popes to puppets and stacking the Papal court with French clerics.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Williams |first1=George L. |title=Papal Genealogy: The Families and Descendants of the Popes |date=2004 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=0786420715 |pages=41–43}}</ref>

The death of Pope Boniface VIII deprived the papacy of its most able politician who could stand against the secular power of the king of France. After the conciliatory papacy of Benedict XI (1303–04), [[Pope Clement V]] (1305–1314) became the next [[pontiff]]. He was born in [[Gascony]], in southern France, but was not directly connected to the French court. He owed his election to the French clerics. He decided against moving to Rome and established his court in [[Avignon]]. In this situation of dependency on powerful neighbours in France, three principles characterized the politics of Clement V: the suppression of heretic movements (such as the Cathars in southern France); the reorganization of the internal administration of the church; and the preservation of an untainted image of the church as the sole instrument of God's will on earth.

The latter was directly challenged by Philip IV when he demanded a posthumous trial of his former adversary, the late Boniface VIII, for alleged [[heresy]]. Philip exerted strong influence on the cardinals of the collegium, and compliance with his demand could mean a severe blow to the church's authority. Much of Clement's politics was designed to avoid such a blow, which he finally did (persuading Philip to leave the trial to the Council of Vienne, where it lapsed). However, the price won concessions on various fronts; despite strong personal doubts, Clement supported Philip's proceedings against the Templars, and he personally ruled to suppress the order.
<!--Add something about Cathar movement; maybe in background section check out Ladurie, E. le Roi. Montaillou, Catholics and Cathars in a French Village, 1294–1324, trans. B. Bray, 1978. Also published as Montaillou: The Promised Land of Error. Benedict XII's reports were used for this book-->

[[File:John22.jpg|thumb|[[John XXII]]]]
One important issue during the papacy of [[Pope John XXII]] (born Jacques Duèze in [[Cahors]], and previously archbishop in Avignon) was his conflict with [[Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor]], who denied the sole authority of the pope to crown the emperor. Louis followed the example of Philip IV, and summoned the nobles of Germany to back his position. [[Marsilius of Padua]] justified secular supremacy in the territory of the Holy Roman Empire. This conflict with the Emperor, often fought out in expensive wars, drove the papacy even more into the arms of the French king.

[[File:Benedikt XII1.png|thumb|[[Benedict XII]]]]

[[Pope Benedict XII]] (1334–1342), born Jacques Fournier in Pamiers, was previously active in the inquisition against the Cathar movement. In contrast to the rather bloody picture of the [[Inquisition]] in general, he was reported to be very careful about the souls of the examined, taking a lot of time in the proceedings. His interest in pacifying southern France was also motivation for mediating between the king of France and the king of England, before the outbreak of the [[Hundred Years' War]].