Historical Background of Dante 73
tablished for one fatal instant between the curve of the poet-
politician’s frail life and the mighty dynamic force of the
ancient papacy.
Boniface’s usurping, destructive, and futile interference
in the course of Florentine history was almost his last act
of power. Already before this time he had aroused the
hatred of that powerful group of secularly minded men who
were directing the well-knit and expanding organization of
the French monarchy headed by St. Louis’ grandson, King
Philip the Fair. Boniface, with his eyes upon the past
greatness of the ecclesiastic state as it had been directed
by Innocent III a century earlier, was attempting to coerce
the French state into keeping its hands off both the property
and persons of the clergy. The clergy, he asserted, were
subjects of no earthly monarchy; they were members only
of the church of God and subject alone to the will of
Christ’s vicar on earth, the Pope at Rome. They were
neither to be taxed nor to be subject to the jurisdiction of the
royal courts unless the Pope gave express permission to such
effect. Just as he was preparing to ascend the papal throne
at Anagni, not far from Rome, and excommunicate Philip
for his contumacy, a daring band of the king’s men, guided
and aided by the vengeful Colonna, entered the town, broke
into the papal palace and church, insulted the defiant old
man, and placed him under close arrest preparatory to try-
ing and deposing him. Boniface, indeed, made his escape,
but only to die from grief and rage. In brief space a French
cardinal, subservient to the wishes of the French king, was
elected, and the papal court was transferred to French
soil, there to remain in Babylonian captivity for the re-
mainder of Dante’s life and for many a year thereafter.
Dante had at least the satisfaction of viewing this humilia-
tion of the author of his sufferings, to say nothing of the