GREGORY  IX
(1227-1241)

A descendent of the Counts of Segni, Ugolino was born at Anagni in Latium. He studied both in Paris and in Bologna. In 1198, he was made a cardinal deacon (titulus Sancti Eustachii) by Innocent III, his uncle. He became cardinal bishop of Ostia in April of 1206 and, subsequently, was elected to the papacy in March of 1227. Gregory IX’s relationship with the Emperor Frederick II rapidly deteriorated and culminated in his 1227 excommunication, which was repeated time and again. When Frederick II finally went on crusade to the Holy Land, Gregory IX preached a crusade against him in Italy. Things moved from bad to worse, politically. This pontificate was also marked by a continuous battle against heresy, beginning with the Albigensians in southern France. Gregory organized a centralized papal Inquisition not only in areas of southern France but also for central and southern Italy as well as in Spain. Gregory made special use of the newly founded Dominican Order in his struggle against heresy. He canonized Dominic de Guzman, the Order’s founder, in 1234. He is also known for his support of the Camaldolese and the Cistercians, in addition to being the protector of the Franciscans even before his election and a personal friend of Francis of Assisi, whom he also canonized in 1228. It was he who also canonized Anthony of Padua (1232). Up to this point, there was no systematic collection of the constitutions enacted either by the Roman Pontiffs or by the councils. As a result, Gregory IX entrusted the work of establishing such a collection to the canonist Raymond of Peñafort, a Dominican. Successor to the already 90 year old Decretum of Gratian in the church’s legal tradition, this first authentic general collection of papal decretals and constitutions was promulgated in 1234. As for Christian unity, the attempts made during his pontificate were not successful. Gregory IX died on 22 August 1241 and was buried in St. Peter’s Basilica.