Pope Urban II was one of the most important and influential popes in the history of the Catholic Church and the Middle Ages. He is best known for calling the First Crusade in 1095 CE, which launched one of the most significant series of events in the history of Europe and the Middle East. Beyond the Crusades, Urban II was also an important reformer who worked to strengthen the authority and organization of the Catholic Church during a period of significant political and religious conflict.
Pope Urban II – Early Life
Pope Urban II was born around 1042 CE in Chatillon-sur-Marne, in the Champagne region of France. His birth name was Odo, also recorded as Eudes or Otto. He was born into a noble French family and received an excellent education from an early age. For instance, he studied at the cathedral school of Reims, which was one of the most important centers of learning in France at the time, under the scholar Bruno of Cologne. After completing his studies, Odo became a canon and later an archdeacon in the diocese of Reims, a position that carried significant administrative power within the Church.
Around 1070 CE, Odo left his position in Reims and entered the famous monastery of Cluny, which was the most important center of Church reform in Europe at the time. The monastery of Cluny was known for producing monks with a strong commitment to reforming the Catholic Church and strengthening its authority in the world. At Cluny, Odo rose to the position of prior, which was the second most senior position in the monastery below the abbot. As such, his time at Cluny was important in shaping his views on Church reform and preparing him for the significant role he would later play as Pope.
Pope Urban II – Rise Within the Catholic Church
In 1079 CE, Odo was sent to Rome by the abbot of Cluny at the request of Pope Gregory VII, one of the most important and reforming popes of the Middle Ages. Gregory VII quickly recognized Odo’s abilities and made him Cardinal Bishop of Ostia in 1080 CE, which was one of the most senior positions in the Catholic Church. From this point forward, Odo became one of Gregory VII’s closest advisors and most trusted supporters.
Gregory VII was deeply involved in a major political and religious conflict with the Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV over the question of who had the right to appoint bishops and other Church officials within the empire. This conflict, known as the Investiture Controversy, was one of the most significant political disputes of the Middle Ages. Odo was a committed supporter of Gregory VII throughout this conflict and served as a papal legate, which was a representative of the Pope, in both France and Germany during the 1080s. For instance, during one mission to Germany in 1083 CE, he was briefly taken prisoner by the forces of Emperor Henry IV. As such, Odo was deeply involved in the most important political and religious conflicts of his time before he ever became Pope himself.
Following the death of Gregory VII in 1085 CE and the short papacy of his successor Victor III, Odo was elected Pope on March 12th, 1088 CE, at a meeting of cardinals held at Terracina, south of Rome. He took the name Urban II. Significantly, the cardinals had to meet outside of Rome because the city was controlled by an antipope, Clement III, who had been installed by Emperor Henry IV in opposition to the legitimate papacy. As such, Urban II began his papacy in a difficult and contested position and spent much of his early reign working to establish his legitimacy and authority against the rival claims of Clement III.
Pope Urban II – Church Reform
As Pope, Urban II continued and expanded the reform program that had been begun by Pope Gregory VII. The Gregorian reforms, as they were known, were aimed at improving the moral and spiritual life of the Catholic Church, ending corruption and strengthening the authority of the Pope over the secular rulers of Europe. For instance, Urban II worked to end the practice of simony, which was the buying and selling of church offices, and to enforce rules against clerical marriage, which was seen as incompatible with the spiritual life expected of the clergy.
Urban II also worked to strengthen the organizational structure of the Catholic Church. For instance, he reorganized the Roman Curia, which was the administrative body that helped the Pope govern the Church, modeling it along the lines of a royal court. He also strengthened the role of the College of Cardinals as the Pope’s most important advisory body. As well, Urban II worked to establish the supremacy of the Pope over secular rulers in matters concerning the Church, continuing the struggle over the Investiture Controversy that had defined the papacy of Gregory VII. As such, Urban II was an important figure in the development of the medieval papacy as a powerful and centralized institution.
Pope Urban II – Council of Clermont and the First Crusade
The most significant event of Urban II’s papacy was his call for the First Crusade at the Council of Clermont in France on November 27th, 1095 CE. The Crusades were a series of religious wars carried out by Christian crusaders from Europe during the timeframe of the Middle Ages, in which European knights and noblemen traveled to the Middle East in an attempt to capture the Holy Land from Muslim control. The term crusade means ‘cross’, and the Europeans that became crusaders viewed themselves as ‘taking up the cross’ in defense of the Christian faith.
There were several reasons why Urban II called for the Crusade at Clermont. First, the Byzantine Empire, which was the eastern half of the former Roman Empire centered in Constantinople, was under increasing pressure from the Seljuk Turks and its emperor Alexius I had appealed to the Pope for military assistance. Second, the Catholic Church wanted to secure and protect Christian churches and holy sites in the region, particularly in Jerusalem, which held enormous significance for the Christian faith. Third, the Pope saw the Crusade as an opportunity to unite the warring kingdoms and nobles of Europe behind a common religious mission and to strengthen the authority of the papacy across the continent.
The speech that Urban II delivered at Clermont is considered one of the most influential in medieval history. According to accounts of the event, when Urban II finished speaking, the crowd responded with the cry “It is the will of God!” which became the rallying call of the crusaders. Urban II promised forgiveness of sins to all those who took part in the Crusade, which was a powerful incentive for devout Christians in the Middle Ages. As such, Urban II’s speech at Clermont sparked one of the most significant series of events in the history of the Middle Ages and transformed the political and religious landscape of Europe and the Middle East for centuries.
Pope Urban II – Later Papacy
Following the Council of Clermont, Urban II continued to govern the Catholic Church and work toward his goals of reform and consolidation of papal authority. By 1094 CE he had finally been able to enter Rome itself, after years of being kept out of the city by his rivals. For instance, in 1098 CE he was able to retake the Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome, which was an important strategic victory that helped secure his position in the city. As well, Urban II held a series of important church councils during his papacy, including councils at Amalfi, Benevento and Bari, at which he continued to advance the agenda of Church reform.
Urban II also worked to improve the relationship between the Catholic Church in the west and the Eastern Orthodox Church in the east, though the division between the two churches that had been formalized in the Great Schism of 1054 CE proved very difficult to overcome. For instance, he convened a council at Bari in 1098 CE specifically to discuss the theological differences between the two churches, though the council did not produce a lasting reconciliation.
Pope Urban II – Death and Legacy
Pope Urban II died on July 29th, 1099 CE in Rome, just two weeks after the crusaders he had inspired captured Jerusalem on July 15th, 1099 CE. He died without receiving the news of the fall of Jerusalem. He was buried at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Urban II was beatified by Pope Leo XIII on July 14th, 1881 CE, meaning he was officially recognized as blessed by the Catholic Church. His feast day is celebrated on July 29th.
Urban II is remembered today primarily for his role in launching the First Crusade, which was one of the most significant events in the history of the Middle Ages. His speech at Clermont in 1095 CE set in motion a series of religious wars that lasted for nearly two centuries and had a profound impact on the relationship between Christianity and Islam that continues to be felt to the present day. As well, Urban II is remembered as an important reformer who helped strengthen the authority and organization of the Catholic Church during a critical period in its history. As such, his papacy was one of the most significant in the history of the medieval Catholic Church and his influence on the history of the Middle Ages was enormous.
