The Catholic Church in the 12th Century: A Timeline of Key Events

A Century of Crusades and Reform

Seminal events for the Catholic Church in the 12th century included the start of a series of Crusades, which were prosecuted with varying success and ultimately culminated in the loss of the Holy Land to the Seljuk Turks. Over time, the prosecution of the Crusades negatively impacted the relationship between the Western and Eastern churches, resulting in the Great Schism in 1054. There were also doctrinal differences that had grown up over the centuries, including questions over the legitimacy of Papal authority and the Filioque clause of the Nicene Creed.

Spiritually, key figures such as the Italian monk and statesman Lanfranc, and the English Benedictine monk Anselm of Canterbury, led church reforms in England, including the reorganisation of dioceses and establishing firmer monastic rules. Anselm also wrote influential works, such as Why Did God Become a Man? exploring the reasons for Christ's death. Polyphonic singing emerged, replacing Gregorian Chant, and the harp arrived in Europe.

The century also witnessed the emergence of new and innovative centres of learning, such as the University of Paris and the University of Bologna. Following the works of scholars such as Peter Abelard and Peter Lombard, who brought the ideas of Greek philosophy into their critique and exposition of theological thought, an academic approach called scholastic theology emerged, which emphasised logical reasoning and the systematic presentation of Christian doctrine.

Late 11th Century (1093-1099)

1093: The Benedictine monk Anselm succeeds Lanfranc as Archbishop of Canterbury. Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109) is best known for his ontological argument for God's existence. His work bridges the gap between faith and reason.

1095: Pope Urban II calls for the First Crusade to reclaim the Holy Land, following the violent entry of Turks into Jerusalem. He is supported by the influential cleric St Bernard of Clairvaux. However, the Crusade (which means The Way of the Cross) did not leave for another four years in 1099. It was the embryo of the later concept of Holy War.

1098: The Cistercian order, known for its reforms, is founded at Citeaux. The order signified a return to the original, stricter interpretation of the Benedictine rule and a focus on manual labour and simple living.

1099: Pope Paschal II is invested. He campaigned for the abolition of the lay investiture of bishops, without success in Germany, but with some success in England and France.

Early 12th Century (1101-1130)

1101: Antipope Theodoric and Antipope Adalbert are deposed by Pope Paschal II.

1113: The Knights Hospitaller (Sovereign Order of St John of Jerusalem), a Catholic military order, was founded in Jerusalem and was quickly confirmed by Papal bull by Pope Paschal II the same year. Its headquarters remained in Jerusalem until 1291, after which it transferred to various castles throughout the Greek island archipelago, finally settling in Malta in 1530.

1118: The Knights Templar were founded to defend the Holy Land around 1119 in Jerusalem, initially consisting of nine French knights. Granted quarters in a wing of the royal palace near the Temple of Solomon, their quarters helped frame the order's name as the Knights Templar. They were given the Cistercian white mantle with a red cross by Pope Honorius II.

1118: Benedictine monk Giovanni Caetano was voted in as pope, taking the name Gelasius II. However, he only lasted a year. He was opposed by a powerful faction of bishops and the Holy Roman Emperor Henry V. Soon after his election, he was kidnapped but was freed by a popular uprising.

1119: Gelasius II was succeeded by Callistus II, who managed to gain control of the papal investiture process from the German Holy Roman Emperor Henry V at the Concordat of Worms. The Concordat, signed in 1122, was an agreement that ended the long-standing dispute over who had the authority to appoint bishops and other church officials.

1120: Peter Abelard's Sic et Non manuscript began to be copied and distributed. The work explored theological contradictions. Abelard's work is one of the first examples of the scholastic method, which involved examining arguments for and against a proposition to arrive at a better understanding of truth.

1123: The First Lateran Council was held. The Lateran councils were ecclesiastical councils or synods held in Rome in the Lateran Palace, adjoining the Lateran Basilica, founded by the Emperor Constantine in the fourth century.

1124: Honorius II becomes pope. Honorius II's election was tumultuous, with competing factions dominating local politics in Rome. Although his rule was marked by a talent for diplomacy, controversy haunted his papacy. Even so, he oversaw a period of spiritual renewal in the church.

1130: Peter of Bruys, a critic of the Catholic Church, is burned at the stake.

1130: Gregorio Papereschi is voted in as pope, taking the name Innocent II. Like his predecessor Honorius II, his election was mired in controversy. Elected by a minority, the favoured candidate was Cardinal Pietro Pierleoni, who declared himself pope, taking the name Anacletus II. Innocent was hastily consecrated, but by June 1130 Anacletus forced him to flee to France.

Mid-12th Century (1139-1163)

1139: The Second Lateran Council was held. Although it was the 10th ecumenical council recognised by the Church, it was nonetheless controversial. It was convened by Pope Innocent II, in the hope of neutralising the aftereffects of the schism following the death of Pope Honorius II in 1130.

1142: Peter Abelard's letters with Heloise are written.

1144: The Basilica of St Denis, a major building in the new Gothic style, is completed.

1148: Peter Lombard's Sentences, a four-book compendium of Christian theology, was first published. It quickly became a standard textbook in medieval universities and significantly influenced theological thought for centuries. The work is systematic, explaining various aspects of Christian theology, drawing on patristic interpretations of Scripture.

1153: St Bernard of Clairvaux dies. St Bernard was one of the most famous, charming and dynamic figures of the Middle Ages. He played a pivotal role in the development of the Cistercian Order, and was an active participant in political and ecclesiastical affairs. He was an avid supporter of the Crusades. St Bernard left a considerable body of work including over 300 letters and sermons, mystical works and devotions to the Virgin. He famously penned The Memorare.

1155: The Carmelites were founded by hermits and monks, who built a shrine devoted to Our Lady. The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, St Albert, gave the hermits a Rule of Life based on Scripture. The order eventually evolved into two main branches: the Carmelites of the Ancient Observance and the Discalced Carmelites, founded in the 16th century by St Teresa of Avila and St John of the Cross.

1163: Construction of Notre Dame de Paris begins.

Late 12th Century (1173-1191)

1173: The Waldensians, a reformist group, are founded.

1179: The Third Lateran Council was held. Two years earlier, the treaty called the Peace of Venice was signed that ended the conflict between Pope Alexander III and the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. The row ostensibly centred on the validity of the papacy itself. The synod is also noted for its condemnation of Catharism, which resulted in its violent oppression; its legislation against sodomy; and its enshrinement of the rule that only cardinals can elect a pope and only then with a two-thirds majority for the vote to be valid.

1191: The Teutonic Knights, the Catholic military order, was founded in Acre, which was then part of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Formally called the Order of Brothers of the German House of St Mary in Jerusalem, its job was to protect pilgrims visiting the Holy Land and to establish hospitals for the sick and the poor. The order was repeatedly used by the Church and the Holy Roman Emperors to repel invaders and subdue rebellions, mainly in northern and eastern Europe.