ALEXANDER III: (c.1100/05-1181) & TWO FUTURE POPES A truly astounding document signed by three Popes of the Middle Ages

ALEXANDER III: (c.1100/05-1181) & TWO FUTURE POPES A truly astounding document signed by three Popes of the Middle Ages

ALEXANDER III: (c.1100/05-1181) Pope of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States 1159-81. An extraordinary and exceptionally rare D.S. by Pope Alexander III, and countersigned by eleven cardinals including two future Popes, Lucius III (c.1100-1185) Pope of the Catholic Church 1181-85, and Gregory VIII (c.1100/05-1187) Pope of the Catholic Church from October - December 1187, one page (vellum), large folio (approximately 59 x 70 cm), dated 25th May 1163, in Latin. The manuscript document, a Great Bulla, is written in a neat Caroline miniscule hand, retaining some forms of curialis script (with exagerrated ascenders and descenders), and opens with tightly compressed, elongated calligrahic letterforms, beginning with the Pope´s name, Alexander, and continuing with the formal preamble. The Bulla represents a Privilegium (Solemn Privilege), the most solemn form of papal bull, for Godescal, Abbot of Saint Bertin, near Saint-Omer, in northern France, and confirms the independence of the Abbey from the Abbey of Cluny and all its other privileges. At the conclusion of the body of text (ending with the declartion of affirmation Amen) appears the circular sign manual, or rota, of Pope Alexander III, with a cross in his hand to the upper edge, the centre of the two concentric circles with the names of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, as well as the Pope (´Alexander pp III´), and also featuring his device, or motto, ´Demonstra mihi vias tuas Domine´ (´Oh Lord, show me your ways´) written within the outer circle. This is followed by the Pope´s name, Ego Alexander Catholice Eccle[sie] Ep[iscopu]s, and abbreviated subscripsi, (´I, Alexander, bishop of the Catholic Church, have subscribed´), the initial letter E inked in the hand of the Pope (a practice begun by Alexander III). To the right of the Pope´s name appears the elaborate Bene Valete (´Fare well´) monogram. Immediately beneath appear the countersignatures of eleven cardinals including the future Lucius III (´Ego Hubaldus....´, as Cardinal-Bishop of Ostia), and future Gregory VIII (´Ego Albertus....´, as Cardinal-Priest of San Lorenzo in Lucina). Each of the names of the cardinals, in a number of different hands, are preceded by crosses and conclude with abbreviated subscripsi. The final line of text, just above the plica, identifies the scribe as the sub-deacon and notary Cardinal Hermannus. The original leaden seal is no longer present, although two central holes to the plica remain, indicating where the bulla would have originally been affixed by silk cords. Documents bearing the signatures of three Popes of the medieval period are of the utmost rarity and very seldom appear at auction. Some light age wear, particularly to the folds, and minor staining as is to be expected, although overall in a fine state of preservation considering the age of the Great Bulla. About VG

Godescal was the Abbot of Saint Bertin from 1163-76. The Benedictine monastic abbey was founded in the 7th century and soon became one of the most influential monasteries in northern Europe. The abbey ceased to flourish after the 13th century, although it survived until its closure during the French Revolution. Today the abbey stands in ruins, owing to a partial demolition ordered in 1830 and later damage sustained in shelling during World War II.

Alexander III became Pope of the Catholic Church in 1159 following a contested election, with several rivals instead claiming the papacy. He was thus forced to spend much of his pontificate away from Rome, enjoying the favour and protection of King Louis VII by taking refuge and living at Sens, in north-central France, between 1163 and 1165.

During Alexander´s reign the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa, who had been crowned King of Italy, and proclaimed Emperor (by Alexander´s predecessor, Pope Adrian IV) in 1155, gave his support to the antipope Victor IV. On 13^th February 1160 Victor IV excommunicated Alexander III and, upon receiving the news the following month, the Pope retaliated by excommunicating both Victor IV and Frederick I Barbarossa. In 1161 King Geza II of Hungary recognised Alexander III as the rightful Pope and his legitimacy began to gather strength, the Kings of France and England also recognising his authority. In 1163 Alexander III summoned clergy and prelates from England, France, Italy, and Spain to the Council of Tours to address, among other matters, the unlawful division of ecclesiastical benefices, clerical usury, and lay possession of tithes.

Alexander III´s pontificate is particularly noted for his papal bull Non parum animus noster, issued in 1171 or 1172 in which he gave papal sanction to the crusades against pagans in Northern Europe, promising remission of sin for those who fought there, and thereby legitimising the widespread use of forced conversion. The Pope also humbled King Henry II of England for the murder of Thomas Becket in 1170, to whom he was unusually close, later canonizing Becket in 1173. This was the second English saint canonized by Alexander, the first being Edward the Confessor in 1161. Through the papal bull Manifestis Probatum of 23^rd May 1179, Alexander recognised the right of Count Afonso Henriques to declare himself King of Portugal, which represented a significant step in the process of Portugal becoming a recognised independent Kingdom.

Alexander III died in August 1181, just one week short of twenty-two years since his election, the longest papacy since Adrian I in the 8th century.

Lucius III had enjoyed a long career as a papal diplomat before being elected as Pope in 1181. His pontificate, like that of Alexander III´s, was marked by conflicts with the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa, and his subsequent exile from Rome. In 1185 Lucius III began preparations for the Third Crusade in answer to the appeals of King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem. Before they could be completed, Lucius III passed away in Verona in November 1185.

Gregory VIII served as Pope for just two months, from October to December 1187, after having had a long diplomatic career as Apostolic Chancellor. He was notable in his brief reign for reconciling the Papacy with the estranged Holy Roman Empire, and for issuing the papal bull Audita tremendi, calling for the Third Crusade following the Battle of Hattin.

An exceedingly rare and especially early document; the Auction and Book Sales Archive (ABSA), which incorporates the records of American Book Prices Current (ABPC), lists only one other papal bull signed by Alexander III (dated 1181) as having appeared at auction in almost thirty years.