History of the Catholic Church from 600 to 1600, Ecclesiastical epoch 600-1000 · Century 8 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Of EMPEROURS.
PHILIPPICUS was crowned an. 712. He was eloquent Contention between the Emperour and the Bishop of Rome, both of them mixing a good cauſe with an evil.and infortunate; in his time the Bulgarians waſted Thracia, and the Sarazens prevail mightily in Aſia; he was a Monothelite; he depoſed Cyrus Patriarch of Conſtantinople, and advanced John in his See. In a Synod he accurſeth all the Biſhops of the ſixth general Councel, and ſent the Acts of this Synod unto Pope Conſtantine, willing him to ſubſcribe them. Who refuſeth, and ſet up all the pictures of thoſe Biſhops who had been in the Councel, in the Gallery of Saint Peter. When Philippicus heard that, he cauſed thorow all the royal City to caſt down all the images of thoſe Biſhops; and he commanded, that all images ſhould be taken out of all the Churches throughout the Empire. Then Conſtantine aſſembled a Synod at Rome, and decreed, that images ſhould be worſhipped with great reverence; and brought the Emperour in contempt, calling him a Schiſmatick, a Monothelite, &c. And the people of Rome called him an Uſurper, and not Emperour; and ordain, that no mention ſhould be made of his name in publick or private Acts; and that no Medals ſhould bear the name of that Heretick, either in braſs, ſilver or lead, &c. Neither was his image brought into any Church, or his name mentioned in the Maſs, Abb. Vrſperg. in Chron. Beda ae ſex aetat. The Emperour contemneth this manner of proceeding, ſaying, It was contrary to the practice of David towards Saul, even when the Spirit had left him; and contrary to Chriſt, who refuſed not to pay Tribute to the heathen Caeſar; and to Peter, who exhorted Chriſtians in Pontus (where were moſt cruel Kings) to fear the King. Philippicus reigned not above one year and ſix months; for (as Zonoras writes) when he had invited his Senatours unto a Feaſt; after dinner they laid hands on him, picked out his eyes, and caſt him into Priſon. Thus began the controverſie of images, and untill that time the worſhip of images was not confirmed by Decree; and we may learn, that images at firſt were put into Churches for hiſtory only; for who can imagine that they would ſet up the images of all theſe Biſhops to be worſhipped? Both the Emperor and the Pope did mix a good cauſe with a bad. All the Emperours following (except Theodoſius) for the ſpace of 160. years, did condemn the worſhip of images, and the errour of the Monothelites.
2. ANASTASIUS Antemius was Secretary to Philippicus, and then elected by the Senators of Conſtantinople. He approved the Acts of the ſixth Councel, and writ to Pope Conſtantine that he was a follower of the Catholick faith. Beda loc. cit. He depoſed John, the Heretical Biſhop of Conſtantinople, and did put Germanus in his place: he ſent a great Army againſt the Sarazens in Aegypt, but his Army within few daies, left the Siege of Alexandria, becauſe he made John, a Prieſt, their General; they kill him, and ſalute Theodoſius (a Treaſurer) Emperour againſt his will. When they returned through Aſia unto Conſtantinople, Anaſtaſius met them; and after a fight at Nice, when he heard that the Conſtantinopolitans had given their keys unto Theodoſius, he rendreth himſelf, and voweth to become a Monk, if they would do him no more harm: So he was ſent into Theſſalonica in the 15. month of his Empire. Zonar. & Mexia.
3. THEODOSIUS was unfit for government, and ſet up images in the Churches. In the ſecond year, his ſouldiers proclaim Emperour Leo their General. Theodoſius would not fight, but turned Monk; and ſo did his ſon Theodoſius, after he had ſuch aſſurance, as he gave to Anaſtaſius.
4. LEO Iſaurus received the Crown, An. 717. In the beginning of his In extremity prayer prevaileth.reign the Sarazens, raiſed ſuch a huge Navy of Ships and Souldiers, that it was thought the World would be a prey unto them: Leo durſt not reſiſt them; ſo they did overrun all Thracia; they paſs thorow Greece into Bulgaria, only the Bulgarians prepared ſome reſiſtance. The Sicilians deſpair of aid from Leo, and chuſe a King Tiberius. When Leo had been in this perplexity three years, and the country had been plagued with famine and peſtilence; then Leo and all they who had been impriſoned within the Walls of Conſtantinople, gave themſelves unto continual and earneſt prayers. God heard their cries, and within a ſhort ſpace, partly by the death of Amurathes, and diſſenſion amongſt the Sarazens about the election; partly by extream famine and coldneſs on land; and partly by ſtorms on Sea, that fearfull enemy was brought to nought, Beda ae ſex aetat. and Leo poſſeſſeth all that he had before in the Continent and Iſles. The Mahumetans ſpake againſt nothing ſo much amongſt the Chriſtians, as againſt the worſhip of images; and therefore Anti-Synods for and againſt images.Leo would have taken them out of the Churches, but was obſtructed by Germanus the Patriarch. Wherefore he aſſembleth a Councel, an. 730. where the queſtion was diſcuſſed, and images were condemned: Germanus would not ſubſcribe, and renounceth his Biſhoprick; the Synod placed Anaſtaſius in his chair, Paul. Diacon. lib. 2. rerum Roman. Then Leo cauſeth the images and ſtatues to be burned in the market ſtreets; he did inhibit the worſhip of them; and ſent unto Pope Gregory the II. to do the like at Rome, and through Italy; and ſhewed how he, in a Synod, had cauſed to be examined, the controverſies againſt the worſhipping of images; the interceſſion of Saints, and the keeping of relicks of the dead: he had found that interceſſion of Saints was a fable; the worſhip of images was idolatry, and contrary to God's Word; and the keeping of relicks is become ſuperſtitious. The Pope holdeth another Synod at Rome, and excommunicateth the Emperour, perſwading the greateſt part of Italy, that they ſhould not acknowledge the Emperour; as amongſt the Greeks writ Zonar. and ſome late Papiſts; but Paul. Diaconus (who did live not long thereafter) writ that all the people and ſouldiers of Ravenna and Venice, did reſiſt the Emperours precept; ſo that the revolt of Italy began at the people and ſouldiers, and not in a Synod; and all do accord, that the Election of the Emperour was ſtayed at that time, by the Pope; and we find, that after that time, the Romans ſought aid from the Emperour, as their Soverain: and Sabell. Ennead. 8. lib. 7. addeth another reaſon, that Italy was vexed by the Lombards, without any help from the Greeks; ſo that ſundry Cities in Italy then did chuſe Dukes to themſelves. The Pope did hinder the election of another Emperour, becauſe he thought Leo would take to heart what was done and attempted, and would be better adviſed. Blond. lib. 10. dec. 1. Alſo another conſpiracy was moved in Greece, by the worſhippers of images; the chief were Agallian and Stephen, who levied an Army: the Imperialiſts rencountred them by the way, and burned their Ships; many ſouldiers were drowned; Agallian leapeth into the Sea; Stephen and ſome others were taken, and beheaded at Conſtantinople, Zonaras and Bellarmin call them Martyrs, de imag. Sanct. lib. 2. cap. 6. In the mean time ſome call Leo a Tyrant. He anſwered, they were juſtly puniſhed, who neither worſhipped God, nor reverenced the Imperial Majeſty; but did oppoſe themſelves unto the laws. At that time John Damaſcenus, was a Patron of images in Syria; and he, with ſome Biſhops and Monks, excommunicateth the Emperour. Nevertheleſs he continueth in his purpoſe, nothing afraid of their vain curſes and opprobrious words; they call him foreign, a fighter againſt images and God. Then doth Luithprand, King of the Lombards, make conqueſt of Italy and beſiege Rome. Gregory the III. ſeeing that Leo neither would nor could The Pope ſeeketh aid from France.ſend aid (as the Emperours were wont to defend Rome) ſent unto Charls the father of Carloman, and grand-father of Charls the Great; deſiring him to defend the City from Luithprand. At the interceſſion of Charls, Luithprand left the ſiege. At that time were great Earthquakes in Bithinia and Thracia, wherein Nicomedia and Nice were ſore ruined, and the Walls of Conſtantinople were ſhaken; wherefore the Emperour lay…th a Tax for repairing the Walls. This gave occaſion to the image-worſhippers to call him covetous, and more given to lucre than government: he died of a dyſentery, An. 741.
5. CONSTANTINE Copronymus ſucceeded his father both in Empire Againſt images.and religion: He made preparation of War againſt the Sarazens; when he was in Aegypt, the worſhippers of images gave out a report that he was dead (it is no new thing, that Hereticks do lie) and Artobaſtus was crowned Emperour, by Anaſtaſius the Patriarch: therefore Conſtantine muſt return, he ſuppreſſed Artobaſtus, degraded Anaſtaſius, and another Conſtantine was made Patriarch. At that time Aiſtulph, King of the Lombards, The Emperor loſeth in Italy France prevailed there.taketh up Arms againſt Rome. Pope Stephen ſought to pacifie him with ſoft words; and when thoſe had no place, he ſent unto the Emperour, exhorting him to deliver his own Kingdom from Aiſtulph; who had taken the Exarchate of Ravenna, and was beſieging Rome. The Emperour delayeth to ſend an Army, and ſought to avert Aiſtulph by Ambaſſadours. The Pope thinking that the Emperour had little regard, gave himſelf (ſaith Bellarm. de concil. lib. 2. cap. 8.) unto the patrociny of the French King; but Card. Cuſanus in faſcic. rer. expetend. ſaith, that the Emperour ſent a Meſſenger unto Pope Stephen, and theſe two did obtain of Pipin, that he would comply with Aiſtulph to reſtore what he had taken from the Empire. Pipin did ſend, but prevailed not; thereafter he promiſed unto Stephen, that he would by force take thoſe places from Aiſtulph, and give them to bleſſed Peter. When the Emperour's Ambaſſadour heard this, he returned; whereby it is manifeſt (ſaith Cuſanus) that Conſtantine gave not the Weſtern Empire unto the Pope; and it is continually read, that the Emperour, as before, did with full power poſſeſs Rome, Ravenna, Marchia with other places; and this is proved by Gratian. diſt. cap. 96. Bene quidam. The Emperour underſtanding what the Pope had done, and ere Pipin came the ſecond time into Italy, ſent unto Rome, promiſing to come unto their aid. But Pipin was then paſſing the Alps, and did compel Aiſtulph to render all the Cities that he had taken; and Pipin gave them (ſaith Bellarm. de Ro. Pont. lib. 2. cap. 17.) to the Church of Rome, reſerving the Princely authority over them, as followeth; and from that time (ſaith he) the French had Rome. Alb. Crantz. in Chron. Saxon. lib. 2. cap. 1. writing of this purpoſe ſaith, Some ſay that Conſtantine gave Italy, Germany, and I know not what other places unto the Church of Rome. It was Charls who did inrich the Roman Church, and long before the Goths in their time; and thereafter the Kings of the Lombards had given ſome things. The Emperour, at that time, had Wars with the Sarazens, and was like to be overthrown, if God had not ſtirred the Turks againſt the Sarazens. At that time Pipin conquered Ravenna, and called it Romandiola, to extinguiſh the Republick and the name. Then the Emperour, by Ambaſſage, craved of Pipin to reſtore unto him Ravenna and other Cities, which the Lombards had taken from his Anceſtours. Pipin anſwered, that he was Lievtenant of the Biſhop of Rome; and all belonged unto Saint Peter that he had taken by Arms. So Pipin and the Pope, did join to rob the Emperour. Thereafter Conſtantine ſet his heart to order Church-affairs; he calleth a Councel at Conſtantinople, where they condemn not only the worſhipping, but the having of images in Churches; and then he cauſed them to be caſt down every where, and perſwaded the Chriſtians to do the like in Armenia, Paleſtina, Syria, and in all other Provinces under his ſubjection. Immediately the Bulgarians moleſt the Emperour, but he forceth them to beg peace; which he granted, on condition that they would put all images out of their Churches. Then Pope Stephen, in a Synod at Rome, charged the Emperour of ſundry crimes, and called him the ſlave of ſin; let the unpartial Reader conſider the crimes, He miſliketh the Monks, not ſo much for their profeſſion, as for their hypocriſie; and therefore he calleth their habits, the garments of darkneſs. 2. He would not let the relicks of the dead be reſerved; and called it an heatheniſh worſhip which is given unto the dead: he ſaid alſo, that God would have the burial of Moſes unknown unto the people; leſt it might occaſion idolatry amongſt the Iſraelites. 3. He calleth interceſſion of Saints Fig-tree-leaves to cover idolatry. 4. He contemneth all images, and forbiddeth the worſhip of Mary, Zonar. But the Emperour was not afraid of the curſes of Image-worſhippers. Not long thereafter Deſiderius, King of the Lombards, incroacheth again upon the lands of the Empire in Italy: wherefore Pope Hadrian the I. ſent unto Charls the Great, then King of France, for aid; he ſent alſo unto the Emperour. But the Emperour did ſo envy the Roman Biſhop, and his ambition, that he was nothing ſorrowfull for his grief; and when the Pope's Nuntio preſented the Letters of ſupplication, he ſaid, You have temporality, defend your ſelves; or reſtore unto us our lands, and we will defend you, as we are bound, Catal. teſt. ver. lib. 8. ex Chron. de Duc. Bavar. And becauſe a certain Stephen, did ſpeak in defence of the Pope, he cauſed him to loſe his life. But Charls was glad of the occaſion, and came quickly into Italy, and aboliſhed the Kingdom of the Lombards; and confirmed the Donation of his father Pipin; and moreover, he gave other Lands and Iſles unto the Church of Rome. So all Italy (except Magna Graecia, that is, Calabria, Pulia and Napels, which remained unto the Greek Emperours) was in ſubjection unto Charls; and from thenceforth he was called King of France and Lombardy, Patricius Romanus. The Emperour died an. 777.
6. LEO Charaza ſucceeded his father: he diſcharged from his Court James, Papias and Theophanes, becauſe they had ſpoken in favour of the Image-worſhippers: he took a Crown of Gold out of the Church of Saint Sophia, which was adorned with ſome ſtones of great value, and had been offered, by the Emperour Maurice, unto the image of Saint Mary; and Leo did ſet it upon his own head. Of theſe ſtones ſome were ſo cold, that (as Platina writeth in Adrian the I.) by coldneſs thereof he died ſhortly after, in the firſt year of his Reign.
7. CONSTANTINE was ten years of age, when his father died: his mother Irene governed the Empire 10. years, to the great prejudice of the Common-Wealth and Church; for the Sarazens made a great part of the Empire Tributary: ſhe calleth a Councel at Conſtantinople for reſtoring images, as followeth: ſhe took up the body of her father-in-law, and burnt it, and caſt the aſhes into the Sea; becauſe he had demoliſhed images; ſhe did cauſe the Souldiers to ſwear that they ſhould not acknowledge her ſon, ſo long as ſhe was in life; but the Armenian Band would not violate their Oath of Allegiance. The young man coming to age, cauſed her to renounce the government, and live without authority 7. years. He began to follow the ſteps of his father in demoliſhing images; wherefore Irene moveth a conſpiracy to make his Uncle Emperour. The treaſon was diſcovered, the Traitours ſeverely puniſhed, and Nicephorus was baniſhed, but he ſpareth his mother. Again ſhe inſnareth him, cauſed his eyes to be picked out, and ſcarcely ſpared his life. Then again, ſhe alone had the Empire 4. years. Zonar. The Empire then was contained in Greece, Thraſia, Magna Graecia, the Iſlands of Archipelagus, Sicily, Candia, and the Provinces of Aſia the leſs.