RELATIONS WITH THE CROWN AND REALM: THE PAPAL FIEF

Perhaps an action of the greatest diplomatic skill, perhaps a last-ditch attempt to save his Crown, King John's surrender of his kingdom to the pope in 1213 tested Innocent III's exalted claims. These claims were not confined to the spiritual dominion but extended to feudal overlordship. John's manoeuvre, moreover, tried the strength of the papacy in its new role of arbiter of European politics. Yet it was not Innocent who had to re-form the bonds of society, re-establish the peace, end the civil war and restore Angevin government in England. The task had scarcely begun when Innocent died in July 1216. Three months later, King John himself was dead, leaving an heir, a minor. The political complexion had changed considerably.

The text of King John's grant of his kingdom to the pope stated that he granted to ‘God, the apostles Peter and Paul, the Holy Roman Church our mother, and to our lord pope Innocent III and his catholic successors the kingdoms of England and Ireland, with all right and appurtenances for the omission of our sins and of all our race (genus), living and dead’. In return John received the kingdoms from God and the Roman Church tanquam feodatarius in the presence of Pandulf, papal subdeacon and familiarius, swearing faith to Innocent and his successors and to the Roman Church.