Urban II

pope from-A.D. 1088 to 1099, previously named Odo of Lagny, was born in Chatillon-sur-Marne, and became successively canon of Rheims, prior of Clugny, bishop of Ostia, and legate to the court of the emperor Henry IV. In the latter station he labored efficiently to insure the papal prerogative in connection with the Investiture controversy. He followed Victor III as pope, and represented the Gregorian party in his administration. He succeeded in maintaining himself against pope Clement II, who was elected by the imperial party, and also in greatly extending the influence and reputation of the papacy throughout the West. In 1089 he convened a council at Rome which denounced the ban upon the emperor, his pope, and their adherents. At the Concilium Melfftanun, in 1090, he enunciated the decree that the laity could possess no right whatsoever against the clergy (see Mansi, Collectio Concil. 20 canon 11, 723 [Venet. 1775]). He was driven from Rome by the emperor, and compelled to seek a refuge with count Roger, upon whom he had conferred the districts of Apulia and Calabria. He retaliated by renewing the ban over his enemy (1091) and forming an alliance with Conrad, the emperor's son, who rebelled and made himself king of Italy. Urban returned to Rome (1093) and from that time interfered most notably in the affairs of the world. He excommunicated Philip of France, who had driven away his queen and married Bertrada, consort of count Fulco of Anjou. At the Council of Clermont (1095) he forbade the investiture of bishops by the hands of the laity of any rank whatever, and also the assumption of feudal obligations to king or other layman by any clergyman. He was not successful, however, in compelling the princes to give up their sovereignty in ecclesiastical affairs, and was even compelled to create count Roger of Sicily, his own protégé, legate to Sicily, in order that he might be able to enforce his decree without alienating the count from his side. The Council of Clermont was also specially important as furnishing the occasion for the organization of the Crusades for the conquest of the Holy Sepulcher. Urban delivered a fiery address, which gave the stimulus for the first crusade; and the new movement so increased his own power that he became able to expel his rival from Rome and utterly destroy his influence. Other councils were held in France under his direction, in one of which, at Nismes, he released Philip of France from the ban, in recognition of his separation from Bertrada. Something of regard was also paid by him to the politically important reunion of the Greek and Latin churches. In England William Rufus proved an obstinate opponent to the papal plans, but in Spain these plans resulted in a large extension of the power of the Church. Urban's influence over matters of doctrine was less pronounced than over matters of administration; but he nevertheless caused the teachings of Berengar (q.v.) to be condemned at the Council of Piacenza, and at Clermont the practice of dipping the bread used in the sacrament in wine. In the latter council he also pronounced a general and complete absolution-a measure which from that time became pre-eminently a privilege of the pope. He assured to all Christians who should take up arms against the infidels entire forgiveness of sins, and also blessedness and inclusion among the number of martyrs, if they should fall during the campaign. The power of the complete absolution was therefore based on the idea of the sin-extirpating power of martyrdom. Urban died June 20, 1099. See Vita et Epist. Urb. II, in Mansi, ut supra, 642-719, and the literature in Gieseler, Lehrb. d. Kirchengesch. 2, 2 (4th ed. Bonn, 1848), p. 39 sq., 508. — Herzog, Real-Encyklop, s.v.