6533b7d5fe1ef96bd1263974

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Le droit d'absoudre. Concurrences juridictionnelles et communication des fors (v. 1130-v. 1320)

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The absolution "reservation" which entitles the Supreme Pontiff to keep to himself the right to lift some excommunications, appeared in 1130. After being at first associated with "sacrilege" and "lèse-majesté", it became one of the main instruments of Pontifical plenitudo potestatis. Western bishops then strove to redefine their scope of action by using the same instrument : the episcopal reservation and penitentiary thus made their appearance during the first quarter of the 13th century. However, the French, English and Italian Synod statutes revealed the ambiguity of this episcopal reservation and opened new perspectives on the history of "forums". At the end of the 13th century, it appeared increasingly clear that the proliferation of "reserved cases" served to protect the episcopal jurisdiction from the field of priests' and mendicant friars' penitential actions, which had become intrusive.