RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Concordats and
Delimiting Bulls
elusion of concordats in the fifteenth century. The councils of Pisa(1409)andConstance(1414-18), contrary to the Curia's intention, divided themselves into " nations," each consisting of the bishops, abbots, and prelates of the national Church, the delegates from the princes, and the doctors in theology and canon law, and each constituting an independent college with defined spheres of activity officially recognized as representative of the ecclesiastical and civil interests of its respective people. There was thus a German, an English, a French, an Italian, and finally also a Spanish nation (cf. B. Hiibler, Die Konstanzer Reformation und die Konkordate von H18, Leipsic, 1867; see Constance, Council of).
The German nation did not succeed in pushing through at Constance its demand for the reformation of the Church before the election of a new pope, and, on Nov. 11, 1417, the council elected Cardinal Colonna as Pope Martin V Little was thereby gained toward solving the council's major task; but in view of the impossibility of bringing about a general reform in the Church, it was still an essential advance that some expedient was found in the way of particular laws for the churches of the several countries, for removing their most serious distresses. The first impulse along these lines was furnished by the German nation by means of a memorial presented in the opening days of the year 1418 (cf. Hermann von der Hardt, Magnum aecumenicum Constantiense concilium, i. 999-1011, Frankfort and Leipsic, 1700). Like steps were also taken by the other nations. As they were unable to agree in regard to the pope's answer, Martin V proffered separate treaties with each nation; and in this way concordats were concluded, on the basis of the papal proposals, with the German, English, French, Italian, and Spanish nations.
The German (Von der Hardt, ut sup., i. 1055 sqq.) and the French concordat (Von der Hardt, iv. 1566 sqq.), of nearly equivalent import, were published May 2, 1418. The English concordat (Von der Hardt, i. 1079 sqq.; Wilkens, Concilia Magnce Brittanice, iii., London, 1737, 391 sqq.) is dated July 21, 1418. The Spanish concordat is dated May 13, 1418 (Tejada, Coleccion completa de concordatos espanoles, Madrid, 1862, pp. 9 sqq.; B. Fromme, Die spanische Nation und das Konstanzer Konzil, Miinster, 1896). Probably a separate Itahan concordat was also concluded.
With reference to the contents of these concordats, chap. 1. restricts the number of the cardinals, and defines their qualifications and the manner of their nomination; chap, ii. restricts the papal reservations; chap. iii. treats of the so-called annates or taxes; chap. iv. explains what grievances are to be carried to Rome and what not; chap. v. circumscribes the right in commendam; chap. vi. declares against simony; chap. vii. declares that excommunicated persons need not be avoided before the express publication of the ban; chap. viii. circumscribes the dispensations of the Curia; chap. ix. treats of the income of the Curia; chap.
X. limits the bestowal of indulgences in Germany; chap.
XI. makes the qualification for Germany and France that all this 13 merely a provisional status to be binding for five years only; the English agreement was permanent.
The concordat was accepted in France notwithstanding opposition on the part of the Parliament of Paris; the history of Its experience in Spain and Italy still continues obscure; and the same is true of the English concordat. The German concordat took effect at once, but being of a provisional tenor, like the French concordat, it proved of no lasting significance, and served simply as foundation for subsequent transactions, for which an occasion was furwshed by the Council of Basel.
ni. Concordats after the Council of Basel.—
1. Germany: The great contest between the Council of Basel (1431-47) and Pope Eugenius IV. divided Western Christendom into two hostile camps for many years; but when Germany and France reached an understanding with Eugenius the victory of the papacy over " councilism " was decided. In Germany the electors, assembled after the death of Emperor Sigismund for the election of King Albert V., declared themselves against pope and council Mar. 18, 1438, and proclaimed their neutrality. On Mar. 24, 1439, an imperial diet at Mainz adopted the reform decrees of Basel, though with some alterations, and excluding the resolutions which centered upon the contest with Eugenius IV (cf. C. Koch, Sanctio pragmatica Germanorum illustrata, Strasburg, 1789, pp. 105-171). King Albert, too, approved this " acceptation." In the same year the Council of Basel took the final step, deposing Eugenius IV. on July 25, 1439, and electing for his successor Felix V Nov. 5. The development of the Church question in Germany was greatly affected by the sudden death of King Albert Oct. 27, 1439. He was succeeded on Feb. 2, 1440, by his cousin, Frederick III.; and in the course of a few years the latter sided entirely with Eugenius IV Decisive understandings ensued in Sept., 1445, at Vienna, Frederick demanding and obtaining large concessions as to the declaration of obedience.
Eugenius IV. by this time felt himself strong enough to proceed against his most considerable opponents in Germany with aggressive measures. Through the bull Ad comprimendam quorundam, Jan. 29, 1446, he deposed the archbishops of Cologne and Treves, and forthwith replaced them with new appointments. But those whom he attacked found succor with their peers. The electors of Mainz, Cologne, Treves, and the Palatinate met at Frankfort, and on Mar. 21, 1446, they concluded a treaty for the common vindication of their rights; which on Apr. 23 was also subscribed by Saxony and Brandenburg. The electors addressed four demands to the pope and proffered him obedience on condition of their being granted; in the event of refusal, a rapprochement with the Council of Basel was contemplated. King Frederick III., when besought to intervene, sent his secretary, ^neas Sylvius Piccolomini, to Rome. But the negotiations carried on at Rome in July were without positive result, although an understanding was reached at last in connection with the Imperial Diet convened at Frankfort in September of the same year. Still, shortly before his death, Eugenius IV. complied with the desires of the German princes, in the so-called Princes' Concordats; and thus brought it about that they and with them the German Empire accorded their submission.
There are four principal documents (Koch, ut sup., pp. 181 sqq.): (1) The brief Ad ea ex debito, to King Frederick, Feb. 5, 1447, promises to convoke a new general council in a German city within fifteen months, and to open the same within eighteen months. (2) The bull Ad tranquillitatem, Feb. 15, 1447, is concerned with the decrees of Basel accepted at Mainz, and also with the indemnity awarded to the Roman See. (3) In the bull Ad ea gum, Feb. 5, 1447, Eugenius promises the reinstatement of the deposed archbishops of Mainz and Treves. (4) The bull Inter aetera desideria, Feb. 7, 1447, recognizes all the changes effected in
1. The Princes' Concordats,
1446.
Concordats and
Delimiting' Bulla