Dominioane, an order of mendicants founded by Dominic (q. v.) de Guzman about the year 1215. In England they were generally called Black Friars ftnom their garments, in France Jacobins, from the fiict that their first French house was in the Rue St Jacques, at Paris. They called themselves commonly Preaching Friars (Fratres PnecUcaUirea), from their office of preaching.
I. ffistory.—Dominic projected the order when he was preaching against the Albigenses (q. v.) ; but the Council of Lateran, in 1215, declared itself against any increase of the monastic orders. Nevertheless Inno- cent III was prevailed upon to approve of the order on condition that it should assimilate itself as closely as possible to one already in existence. The successor of Innocent, Honorius III, was less reluctant, and con- firmed the Dominicans as a new and independent or- der. It spread rapidly over all Christian countries. In 1221 thirteen of the friars went to England fbr the
purpose of establishing^ tbe onlcr, mM ! ton, then archbishop of CMatertmty. proval, they fixed their first boaae A second house was in LoodoB. At tbe I solution of the monasteries nude were 58 houses in Englanid and Wa
Monk. 1. Abixma. i.
second general chapter was held, in ISSL, at I 60 convents, belonging to eight provincesi, i sented, and a great many friars irei tablish new houses. In 1278 tbe number afU vents amounted to 417. In 1233 tbe V.) was transferred to them by tbe Fope. them a powerful and pemicioixs inBaeaee m i Portugal, Italy, and France. Tbey sbowed so I eagerness in hunting np and prosectituis 1 a popular pun changed the lULine £ Domini. canea (the dogs of the Lord). dowed in 1272 with all the privileges of tbe i orders, they soon gave np begging, aad, af^ ' allowed in 1425 to accept donatioiis, th^ i great wealth. Together with tbe FraodscsM, I became the chief representatives o( tbe i science of the Middle Ages, occupied a \uiBt i of the theological chairs at the anixersities« i came in most controversies not only Hbe rin also the bitter opponents of the FrandscaBS. greatest theologian among them in tbe IGddk 1 was Thomas Aquinas (q. v.), whom tfaer ban * since followed as a standard authority. 'AnoBfti other celebrities are Albertns Magnus, Eccsid, Ti Suso, Savonarola, Las Casas, Tincent Feriia; ad cent of Beauvais. As theologians, they were Nominalists, Augnstinians, and oppanesti of the maculate Conception. In literature in geaer. * have had great influence, as the Mqgiater aaeri at Rome, in whose hands is tbe censorship of books, W alwaj^ been taken from their order. T^ja^f^ great popular fiivor not only by their preachiBS, bstl^ the establishment of an order of tertxsmis, open u laymen. The people were also gained by tkes espf daily by the spreading of the use of tbe Boflirr(^^} which was introduced by them, and whidi bocaDcia consequence of the many indulgences atta^edt^/f^ the popes, a very popular form of worship. TIk^ minicans also belonged to the most aeakna labiRn a the foreign missions of tbe Roman ChnrdL V^f / their members were sent to the East ; and io Aiveak in particular, they succeeded in uniting a gmt nny Armenians with the Roman Church. After tb# ^ covery and conquest of America by tbe Sptuv^^ Dominicans protected the natives from being eeiltY<^ but gave, on the other hand, the first irapolM tot^ importation of slaves from Africa. In Amekt b^ in the West and East Indies, tfaey surpassed ill otbtf
T>0]klINICANS
859
DOMINIS
Ix>iHrei>, numbers, and riches. In Europe, on ary , tkk& reputation and influence of the order VecUnfid.. The conduct of Totzel (q. v.) in S the papal indulgences brought odium upon e order, and the development of the Inquisi- paVn, nnder the management of the Domini- acbed to tlieir name a stain which will never ed^ out. In the countries which embraced ntiBTH tliey lost over 400 convents, while in Catbolic countries they were generally super- s confessors at the court and as teachers at ^rexaities, l>y the Jesuits. Several attempts to che order were made in the 15th and 16th cen- >ut led only to the establishment of 12 reformed ^tions. Xbe whole order was never brought > its ori^nal simplicity and vigor. Yet they unted in the 18th century more than 1000 con- if inotiks and nuns in 45 provinces, 11 of which atside of £arope. In consequence of the French ition, they lost all their convents in France and m, nearly all in Germany, and many in Italy ; the 19th century they were entirely suppressed ain, Portugal, and Sardinia. In 1832 the em- of 'Rua&ia suppressed in the sole province of Mo- 55 Dominican convents. In Father Lacordaire *der received a member of great reputation and nee, and through him the order ¥ras re-establish- France in 1845. In Austria the Dominicans re- ntly submitted, in 1858, to certain reforms which 'oye ordered to be introduced. According to the isions made, all the novices are to be bound to the 3nt rule, which will also be established in every ent as eoon as it will have a majority of reformed ks. The order is on the increase in the United es of North America and in Franco, and establish- t& ^x«t convent in Prussia m 1860. The Domin- s entered the United States in 1589, but their mis- .s have been less extensive than those of the Fran- ana and Jesuits. The first bishop of New York, ce Goncanen, had been assistant general of the or- . A great activity in behalf of its spreading was a later period displayed by fkther (later bishop) awick, a native of Maryland, who entered the novi- te at Bomhem, Belgium. He established the cou- nt of SuBoee, Springfield, Ky., which is now the vitiate of the order in the tFnited States. II. CoruiUution. — ^The constitution of the order was .Qfpied at a general chapter in 1220, and is in all es- ntial points like that of the other mendicant orders, t the head of the order is a general, who is elected by general chapter for lifB, and is assisted in the exer- ise of his office by a number of definitores. The or- er is divided into provinces, at the head of which is a •Tovmcial, who is elected at a provincial chapter by be superiors of the houses, who are called priors. Their habit consists of a white garment and scapular, with a white mantle and hood ending in a point.