Pope Urban II

Lore & Background

Pope Urban was a native of France and a descendant of a noble family from the French commune of Châtillon-sur-Marne. Before his papacy, Urban was the grand prior of Cluny and bishop of Ostia. As pope, he dealt with Antipope Clement III, the infighting of various Christian nations, and the Turkish invasions into Anatolia. In 1095, he started preaching for the start of the First Crusade (1096–1099). He promised forgiveness and pardon for all of the past sins of those who would fight to reclaim the Holy Land from Muslims and free the Eastern churches. This pardon would also apply to those fighting the Muslims in Spain. While the First Crusade resulted in the capture of Jerusalem and expulsion of the Fatimids, Pope Urban II died before he could receive the news. Urban II also set up the modern-day Roman Curia in the manner of a royal ecclesiastical court to help run the church. He was beatified by Pope Leo XIII on 14 July 1881.

Reader's Guide

Urban, baptized Eudes (Odo), was born to a family of Châtillon-sur-Marne. In 1050, he began his studies at the nearby cathedral school of Reims. He was prior of the abbey of Cluny, and Pope Gregory VII later named him cardinal-bishop of Ostia c. 1080. He was one of the most prominent and active supporters of the Gregorian reforms, especially as legate in the Holy Roman Empire in 1084. He was among the three whom Gregory VII nominated as papabile. Desiderius, the abbot of Monte Cassino, was chosen to follow Gregory VII in 1085 but, after his short reign as Victor III, Odo was elected by acclamation at a small meeting of cardinals and other prelates held in Terracina in March 1088. From the outset, Urban had to reckon with the presence of Guibert, the former bishop of Ravenna who held Rome as the antipope Clement III. Urban took up Gregory's policies and, while pursuing them with determination, showed greater flexibility and diplomatic finesse. A series of well-attended synods supported him in renewed declarations against simony, lay investitures, clerical marriages, and the emperor and his antipope. He facilitated the marriage of Matilda, countess of Tuscany, with Welf II, duke of Bavaria. He supported the rebellion of Prince Conrad of Italy against his father and bestowed the office of groom on Conrad at Cremona in 1095. He supported the theological and ecclesiastical work of Anselm of Canterbury. Urban further authorised itinerant preachers such as Robert of Arbrissel to spread the knowledge of Christian faith and promote the ideas of the reform movement. Urban II's movement took its first public shape at the Council of Piacenza, where, in March 1095, Urban II received an ambassador from the Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnenos asking for help against the Turkish tribes. The Council of Clermont met, attended by numerous Italian, Burgundian, and French bishops. Urban II gave a speech on 27 November 1095 at the conclusion of the council to a broader audience. No exact transcription exists of the speech. The five extant versions were written down sometime later and differ widely. There are four extant letters written by Pope Urban himself: one to the Flemish (dated December 1095); one to the Bolognese (dated September 1096); one to Vallombrosa (dated October 1096); and one to the counts of Catalonia (dated either 1089 or 1096–1099).

Did You Know?

• Urban II was a native of France and a descendant of a noble family from Châtillon-sur-Marne.
• He was grand prior of Cluny and bishop of Ostia before becoming pope.
• He promised forgiveness and pardon for past sins to those who fought to reclaim the Holy Land.
• He died before learning of the First Crusade's capture of Jerusalem.
• His cultus was confirmed by Pope Leo XIII on 14 July 1881.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"The church shall be catholic, chaste and free: catholic in faith and the communion of saints, chaste from all contagion of evil, and free from all secular power." — Pope Urban II "Jesus had told his followers to love their enemies, not to exterminate them. He was a pacifist and had more in common with Gandhi, perhaps, than with Pope Urban." — Pope Urban II "Five versions of Pope Urban's speech for the First Crusade from Medieval Sourcebook." — Pope Urban II