Gregory IX
Cardinal bishop of Ostia and protector of the Franciscans, elected pope in 1227. He canonized Francis of Assisi, issued the statutes of 1231 against heretics, commissioned Dominican friars as inquisitors and published the Decretals in 1234.
As Hugolino, cardinal bishop of Ostia, he signed the privilege of 1216 for Dominic’s community at Toulouse (Honorius III, Religiosam vitam (22 December 1216)). Thomas of Celano says that the women of San Damiano received their way of life from him while he was bishop of Ostia (Thomas of Celano, First Life of Francis 20), and Jordan of Saxony that he conducted the funeral of Dominic at Bologna (Jordan of Saxony, Libellus 96). Roger of Wendover records that he succeeded Honorius III, who died on 18 March 1227 (Roger of Wendover, Flowers of History p. 486). As pope he canonized Francis of Assisi at Assisi in July 1228 (Thomas of Celano, First Life of Francis 126).
In 1231 he issued statutes against heretics and commissioned Dominican friars to inquire after them (Gregory IX, Excommunicamus (1231)) (Gregory IX, Ille humani generis (22 November 1231)). He had the decretals of earlier popes and his own gathered into a single book of law and ordered that it alone be used in the courts and schools (Decretals of Gregory IX Rex pacificus). See the Papal Inquisition Is Established.
In the timeline
- 1231, firm dateThe Papal Inquisition Is Established
Gregory IX issues statutes against heretics and commissions Dominican friars to seek them out, try them and hand the unrepentant to the secular power. Papal inquisitors begin work at Toulouse; in 1252 Innocent IV orders the cities of northern Italy to force confessions.