King John Excommunicated

King John of England wanted John de Gray for Archbishop of Canterbury, but Pope Innocent III consecrated Stephen Langton after a disputed election by the cathedral chapter of Canterbury. John would not allow Langton to enter Canterbury, and so the pope put the country try under Interdict. John himself was later excommunicated.

The Interdict started March 1208, and meant that priests were not allowed to perform church services. This was devastating to a devout population. It was not a complete shutting down of the sacraments, however. Concerned about people's souls, baptisms and last rites for the dying (confession and being granted absolution) were allowed, lest innocent people go to Hell.

John (shown here with his dogs) treated the Interdict as an act of war and became hostile to priests in England. Some priests were willing to ignore the Interdict and perform services; those who were obedient to the pope had their estates seized. John also arrested priests' concubines, fining the priests who wanted them released. Some priests fled England, and John confiscated their property.

Pope Innocent threatened John with personal excommunication if he did not stop his assault on priests and his refusal to allow Langton to take his position in Canterbury. John stood his ground and was excommunicated in November 1209.

Although this was considered a powerful weapon wielded by the Church, there was recent evidence that it was not that damaging to a ruler. Emperor Otto IV and Count Raymond VI of Toulouse (both allies of John) had been excommunicated by Innocent and survived the process. (Otto had killed a rival; Raymond was considered too lenient about the Cathars.)

John simply continued to absorb the revenue from confiscated church lands. Although his barons would rebel soon and force him to sign the Magna Carta, limiting his executive power, the country did not rebel against him during this time. The Church was losing money, the people were suffering spiritually, and aInnocent started making exceptions. Monasteries were allowed to perform Mass. The Eucharist could be offered as part of Last Rites. Burial in Christian ground was taking place anyway.

Then John was threatened from another direction, one he couldn't ignore. It appears the pope was preparing to ask someone else to intervene with England on behalf of the Church.

France.

This was a more serious threat to John's throne. I'll tell you how it turned out tomorrow.