13th-Century Papal Cardinal System

Timeline

1. 1215–1270Rome · ItalyInnocent III and his successors used the Lateran councils to strengthen cardinals' oversight of papal elections and curia finances; cardinals headed curia departments and parishes in and around Rome, markedly increasing the bureaucratization of papal administration.
2. c. 1270–1280Rome · ItalyIn the 1270s the papacy used cardinal legates to coordinate the aftermath of the crusades, union with Byzantium, and disputes over the Sicilian throne; the Second Council of Lyon in 1274 attempted east–west church union, with the College playing a core decision-making role under Pope Gregory X.
3. 1305–1500Rome and Avignon · Catholic worldDuring the papacy's residence at Avignon in the 14th century the cardinal system continued to function and faced reform pressure from the conciliar movement; after the papacy returned to Rome in the 15th century the College remained the core institution of papal elections and governance.