AVIGNON
the popes in france
Online Lecture
SNAPSHOT
Lecturer: Dr Eireann Marshall
Date: Monday 16 June, 2025
Duration: 1 hour
Start Time: 7.30pm AEST | 7.00pm SA | 4.30pm WA | 9.30pm NZST
Price: $25 AUD
WATCH ON DEMAND
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overview
With the recent election of Pope Leo XIV as the Bishop of Rome, it is fascinating to look at a turbulent period of Papal history when the Catholic Church was centred in France rather than Italy, and the extraordinary tale of how Avignon became the seat of the Papacy in the 14th century.
Tensions between the papacy and the French crown peaked when Pope Boniface VIII was arrested by agents of King Philip IV in 1303 – only to die under mysterious circumstances a month later. Philip then ensured the election of a French pope – Clement V, who refused to relocate to Rome, thereby initiating the so-called 'Babylonian Captivity' of the Church. Over the next 70 years, seven French popes ruled from Avignon, transforming the city into a thriving hub of art, learning, and political influence – a legacy still visible in its grand architecture and lasting impact on European history.
Join Dr Eireann Marshall for an exploration of this fascinating period and the remarkable city of Avignon, which briefly stood at the heart of the Catholic world.
YOUR EXPERT LECTURER
Dr Eireann Marshall is an Honorary Research Associate and Associate Lecturer with the Open University. Raised in the Veneto, she was educated in Barnard College, Columbia University, in New York, as well as the Universities of Birmingham and Exeter in England, where she has lectured.
She has published a number of articles on Ancient North Africa, and co-edited volumes on ‘Death and Disease in the Ancient City’ and ‘Women’s influence on Classical Civilisation’. Eireann’s current research interests include the reception of classical art, as well as concepts of ethnicity and race in antiquity.
With her vast lecturing and guiding experience, Eireann has in depth knowledge of Italy and its history and archaeology. Eireann has led many tours, including several to Ravenna, Venice, Pompeii, Sicily and Tunisia, and is bilingual in English and Italian.
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