Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - III. The Romanized Church under the Sverkers, Erics and Folkungar (1130—1389 A.D.)
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
n8 III. THE ROMANIZED CHURCH (A.D. 11301389).
had made a duke in order to balance his brother Valdemar,
is equally remembered for his improvement of the laws.
His surname was given to him because of the check which
he imposed on travellers, especially on nobles, who were
accustomed to help themselves to the peasants stores with
out payment thus abusing the old Swedish custom of
universal hospitality. In the place of it innkeepers were
established everywhere to superintend the lodging of
travellers in different houses. Magnus was an enlightened
and magnificent king, but he had, like our Henry IV., to
make terms with the clergy in order to cover the usurpation
by which he deposed his brother Valdemar.
Let me explain how the pope had cause to interfere.
In the year 1274 Pope Gregory IX. had obtained power
over King Valdemar by reason of a great sin which he had
committed, and for which he had gone to Lyons to obtain
pardon. During this pilgrimage the pope inhibited the
realm of Sweden from electing a new king, and mentioned
that the king of Sweden had acknowledged the Roman
pontiff as his superior, and his kingdom as tributary to
Rome (gth January, 1274, Celsius, p. 85-6). Seven
months later he wrote to Duke Magnus demanding that
testators should be free to leave their property to the
Church, and the clergy freed from the jurisdiction of the
civil courts. He also condemned the practice of civil
magistrates excommunicating lay offenders (gth August,
1274, ibid. 86). Magnus, who was at war with his brother,
purchased the support of the Church by giving way to
these demands (see Holmquist: 22-3). After his corona
tion a council was held at Telje in October, 1279, which
reflects the alliance between himself and the hierarchy
(Reuterdahl : Stat. Synod, p. 37). The sacredness of the
king s person was established and protected by threat of
excommunication. At the same time prohibitions of
clerical incontinence were renewed, and it was laid down
that a fine for this fault was to extend to a quarter of the
clerical income, and was only to be taken once. After that
punishment was to be more severe.
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
