Pater sancte … the position of papal nuncio in Outremer according to Pierre de Manso's letter to Pope John XXII

Abstract

Our narrative sources for the history of Cyprus largely fall silent for the period between the death of Pope Clement V in 1314 and the passing of King Hugh IV of Lusignan in 1359. The Vatican Archive helps fill the gaps, notably the papal letters addressed to the apostolic nuncios stationed on Cyprus, who played a particularly important role in the reign of Pope John XXII (1316–34). One of these nuncios, Pierre de Manso, wrote a surviving letter to the pope, dated 1332 and edited here in an appendix, which provides precious information about the nature of this office in the early fourteenth century. With the help of the author's forthcoming edition of the over 600 letters of Pope John concerning the kingdoms of Cyprus and Armenia, this paper investigates the roles, responsibilities, and problems of papal nuncios on Cyprus, encountering sometimes fierce opposition from the crown and from other members of the Latin clergy, especially in the collection of papal taxes. It offers an in-depth examination regarding sources of papal income from Cyprus – primarily clerical tithes, annates, and spoils from deceased prelates – and the difficulties in raising it, how the money was transported to Avignon, and how funds meant to support Cilician Armenia were diverted to finance papal warfare in Italy. It also looks at Pope John's policy of controlling all episcopal, archiepiscopal, and patriarchal appointments. An appendix highlights the shortcomings of existing calendars of papal letters concerning Cyprus and argues for a southern French origin of Pierre de Manso.