The Papacy and Roman Hospitals
Title
The Papacy and Roman Hospitals
Description
During the period when the seat of the papacy was in Avignon, many of the municipal leaders in Rome began to gain more power over the urban institutions. Once the popes returned to the city they attempted to reestablish control of many of the institutions over which they once had power. There was much dispute of who was truly in control: the popes who, for almost a century, had ruled from afar or the civic leaders. One particular example of this is the hospital at Santo Spirito. In her book on hospitals in medieval Rome, Carla Keyvanian points to three specific examples showing that this hospital had fallen under the influence of the municipal authorities. In 1369, the senate publicly honored the governor of the hospital for providing fighting men to the Senate. A governor of the hospital participated in the coronation of Cola di Rienzo. Finally, the senate decided to erect a statue of Pope Clement VI (1291-1352) on the grounds of the hospital.
The popes went to a lot of trouble to reclaim their hold over the institution. Pope Eugene IV (1383-1447) claimed to have found a register of the confraternity of Santo Spirito that stated that former popes had established the hospital and therefore it was papal property. Paul II (1464-1471) launched a restoration of the hospital to regain the moral rights over the institution. Following him, Sixtus IV (1414-1484) abolished the longstanding confraternity of Santo Spirito and started a new one, with members loyal to the papacy like relatives and liegemen. But the best way for Sixtus to stake his claim over the hospital was to rebuild its buildings.
The building that Innocent III had built was deteriorating, so in 1473 Sixtus began his restoration. He extended the infirmary to the east towards the Ponte Sant’Angelo. In doing this, Santo Spirito became the largest hospital in Europe and became the center for medical research. To ensure the rights of those who fund and build these institutions, Sixtus issued three Papal Bulls -- in 1476 and again in 1477 -- declaring that he built Santo Spirito. Then in 1478, he issued a bull that established legal ownership over public works by those who funded them.
The popes went to a lot of trouble to reclaim their hold over the institution. Pope Eugene IV (1383-1447) claimed to have found a register of the confraternity of Santo Spirito that stated that former popes had established the hospital and therefore it was papal property. Paul II (1464-1471) launched a restoration of the hospital to regain the moral rights over the institution. Following him, Sixtus IV (1414-1484) abolished the longstanding confraternity of Santo Spirito and started a new one, with members loyal to the papacy like relatives and liegemen. But the best way for Sixtus to stake his claim over the hospital was to rebuild its buildings.
The building that Innocent III had built was deteriorating, so in 1473 Sixtus began his restoration. He extended the infirmary to the east towards the Ponte Sant’Angelo. In doing this, Santo Spirito became the largest hospital in Europe and became the center for medical research. To ensure the rights of those who fund and build these institutions, Sixtus issued three Papal Bulls -- in 1476 and again in 1477 -- declaring that he built Santo Spirito. Then in 1478, he issued a bull that established legal ownership over public works by those who funded them.
Creator
Daamir Robinson (2020)
Source
Keyvanian, Carla. Hospitals and urbanism in Rome, 1200-1500. Leiden: Brill, 2016.
Identifier
papacyhospitals_2017
Spatial Coverage
Via dei Penitenzieri, 12, 00193 Roma RM, Italy
Description
During the period when the seat of the papacy was in Avignon, many of the municipal leaders in Rome began to gain more power over the urban institutions. Once the popes returned to the city they attempted to reestablish control of many of the institutions over which they once had power. There was much dispute of who was truly in control: the popes who, for almost a century, had ruled from afar or the civic leaders. One particular example of this is the hospital at Santo Spirito. In her book on hospitals in medieval Rome, Carla Keyvanian points to three specific examples showing that this hospital had fallen under the influence of the municipal authorities. In 1369, the senate publicly honored the governor of the hospital for providing fighting men to the Senate. A governor of the hospital participated in the coronation of Cola di Rienzo. Finally, the senate decided to erect a statue of Pope Clement VI (1291-1352) on the grounds of the hospital.The popes went to a lot of trouble to reclaim their hold over the institution. Pope Eugene IV (1383-1447) claimed to have found a register of the confraternity of Santo Spirito that stated that former popes had established the hospital and therefore it was papal property. Paul II (1464-1471) launched a restoration of the hospital to regain the moral rights over the institution. Following him, Sixtus IV (1414-1484) abolished the longstanding confraternity of Santo Spirito and started a new one, with members loyal to the papacy like relatives and liegemen. But the best way for Sixtus to stake his claim over the hospital was to rebuild its buildings.
The building that Innocent III had built was deteriorating, so in 1473 Sixtus began his restoration. He extended the infirmary to the east towards the Ponte Sant’Angelo. In doing this, Santo Spirito became the largest hospital in Europe and became the center for medical research. To ensure the rights of those who fund and build these institutions, Sixtus issued three Papal Bulls -- in 1476 and again in 1477 -- declaring that he built Santo Spirito. Then in 1478, he issued a bull that established legal ownership over public works by those who funded them.