Avignon Papacy

Avignon Papacy

What: The papacy took on definitive French character, 5 popes were French natives; Church bombasted by Petrarch as being in "Babylonian captivity", like the exiled Jews in Babylon, because of French popes' extravagence

When: 1309-1378

 Why significant: Avignon popes consolidated financial and legal power of the Church mainly through taxes

See "Babylonian captivity" for more information