Pope Innocent III (1160/61–1216) : To Root Up and to Plant

This book is a biography of Pope Innocent III. Avoiding the many scholarly controversies concerning the pope, it offers a concise and balanced portrait of the man and his pontificate. Its chronological organization-unusual in biographies of Innocent-enables the reader to see how the pope was usually dealing with many different subjects at the same time, and that the events in one aspect of his life could influence his views of other topics. This structure, together with the thorough documentation, can provide new insights even for scholars well-versed in his pontificate. Written in clear, jargon-free English, the book also gives the students and general reader a good sense of this pope and of the medieval papacy.

“Thank goodness that John C. Moore’s biography of Pope Innocent III is finally available in an affordable format. His clarity of language, nuanced analysis, and evident mastery of both the sources and the wealth of studies devoted to this pope, whose pontificate was a major watershed in Western history, make Moore’s study a ‘must have’ addition to the library of every medieval student and scholar.” —Alfred J. Andrea, The University of Vermont

"Refusing to be driven by one or another of the great operatic episodes of Innocent's pontificate, Moore has produced the most comprehensive and rounded study ever written of the man and the pope—the very readable history of a pontificate from day to day." —Edward M. Peters, Henry Charles Lea Professor of History, University of Pennsylvania

Cover 1 Half title 2 Title page 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 8 Contents 10 List of Illustrations 12 Preface 14 Abbreviations and Notes on Sources 18 Map: Europe and the Mediterranean Lands about 1200 20 Map: Western Central Italy 21 1. LOTARIO DEI CONTI OF SEGNI 22 2. THE BEGINNING 46 3. THE GREAT PRINCES (1198-1200) 71 4. CURIA AND CITY (1200-1203) 98 4. THE FOURTH CRUSADE (1203-1204) 123 6. JEWS AND HERETICS (1205-1207) 156 7. DEFENSE OF THE CHURCH (1207-1212) 190 8. RENEWAL (1212-1214) 224 9. COUNCIL AND CRUSADE (1215) 249 10. THE END (1215–1216) 274 BIBLIOGRAPHY OF WORKS CITED 314 INDEX 324