The not-so peaceful Papacy

The recent criticism of President Trump by Pope Leo, is interesting because Leo seems to be positioning the Papacy as an orderly and 'woke' peace-promoting body. Also interesting is Leo's subsequent backing down and I wonder if Vatican historians have had a quiet word. Historically, the Papacy has taken a leading role in promoting military action. This action was primarily against Islamic forces which began restricting Christian access to Holy Land sites and which then morphed into wholesale invasion and occupation of Western countries. Popes Urban II, Eugene III, Gregory VIII, Innocent III and Honorius III mounted the First to Fifth Crusades. Innocent XI chimed in 1683, not with a Crusade but a movement to get Muslims out of Austria and Hungary. From Urban II to Innocent XI, covers nearly 600 years of blatant Papal militarism. The Crusades were not without cause, but action against Islam was somewhat delayed. The highpoint of Muslim military action in Europe was their defeat at the Battle of Tours-Poitiers, France in 732, which is very near the Atlantic Ocean. Hardly prone to knee jerk action, it took Urban II, nearly 600 years to mount a Crusade in protest.

The Frankish leader who won at Tours-Poitiers was Charles Martell aka 'The Hammer'. He correctly discerned that the Muslims would be as concerned about the protection of their plunder, as further progress westwards. Martell ordered a feint charge towards the Muslim encampment and the treasure. The Mulims broke ranks and were easily defeated.