The Use of Friars as Envoys: Diplomatic Relations between King Henry III and Pope Alexander IV (1254–1261)

Summary

The pontificate of Alexander IV (1254–1261) was shaped by diplomatic relations with the English king, Henry III (1216–1272). Medieval rulers rarely conducted diplomatic affairs in person. Instead, they appointed representatives to engage in business on their behalf. Indeed, exchanges between Henry III and Alexander IV were managed by their envoys, whose participation was fundamental to the smooth running of Anglo-papal relations. Nevertheless, the historiography on these relations has neglected the context surrounding these envoy appointments and the reasons why certain envoys were chosen.

While medieval diplomatic embassies were typically made up of people filling a range of functions (such as diplomatic envoys, clerks and scribes), the following discussion will primarily focus on the role of envoys entrusted with procurations to communicate and negotiate business on behalf of their principal. By the mid-thirteenth century, a variety of people could be appointed to conduct diplomatic business between England and the papacy. There is evidence of magnates, prelates, members of the royal and papal households, as well as other secular and clerical officials being selected as Anglo-papal envoys. Furthermore, these men came from a range of backgrounds, including merchant, monk and members of the nobility. During this period, there were no resident ambassadors like those identified by Mattingly and Queller for the fifteenth century. Envoys were chosen on an ad hoc basis to act as part-time agents and to carry out their assigned mandates in accordance with their specific missions.

What stands out, and yet has been overlooked in the historiography, is the number of Franciscans and Dominicans being appointed as envoys on missions between the papal curia and the English king during the mid-thirteenth century. Rather than investigating the friars’ roles as envoys, scholars have instead focused on areas such as their vita apostolica, their duties of pastoral care, their fight against heresy, the issue of poverty and the institutionalization of the orders. Therefore, this essay will investigate why these friars were particularly utilised as envoys in diplomatic exchanges between King Henry III and Pope Alexander IV from 1254 to 1261.