Reference List 

Important Dates in Carmelite History Before 1500

Carmel

Church

Society Omri seizes power in the Northern Kingdom of Israel; he builds the capital in Samaria^33.20

Carmel An inscription from the end of this century describes Carmel as the sacred mountain of Zeus^33.13

Church

Reference 4.146ff, 5a250-251, 29.353, 33.72

Carmel Tacitus (55?-120?) describes Carmel both as a mountain and a god; he also describes the visit of Vespasian to Mt Carmel to consult an oracle about his political future and to offer sacrifice

The cult of the sun-god, Helios, is being practiced on the promontory of Mt Carmel; Friedman proposes that at some point Xtians countered this with devotion to the cult of Elijah in the cave at the base of the mtn

Church Women start taking private vows of virginity; they => honorary rights, i.e., special titles, a prominent place in the church, and admission to the diaconate; their prime mission was intercession, reparation, & dedication to God; charitable tasks were done occasionally, but were really the responsibility of the deaconesses

110? Pliny reports to Emperor Trajan that the Xtians at Pontus gather in the morning for prayer & in the evening for an agape meal &/or Eucharist; => Trajan prohibits common meals in the evening

150? by now Eucharist normally celebrated at the morning prayer service

Society Plutarch (46?-120?) in the essay Mulierum virtutes argues that male & female virtues are identical

Reference 4.147ff, 10a27

Carmel The ex-voto foot of the god Jupiter that was found in the Stella Maris garden dates from around this time

Church Both women & men flee to the desert

275 St Kariton established himself in a grotto north of Jerusalem and gathered around himself other disciples => contributes to beginning of monasticism in the Holy Land^33.29

Society

Reference 4.95ff,146ff, 5a252, 6.250-252, 10a27, 19, 29.358ff

Carmel 356? The Pseudo-Skylax refers to Mt Carmel as a mountain sacred to Jupiter

Jamblichus recounts how Pythagorus spent some time on Mt Carmel in silent meditation

Church 311 St Hilarion acquaints himself with Egyptian monasticism and then retires to a hut near Gaza; he too collects disciples; monastic communities then spread along the coast and probably reach Mt Carmel; => contributes to beginning of monasticism in Holy Land^33.29

By 313 double monasteries in existence;

Pachomius of Tabennisi (d. 346) credited with founding 1st monastery in modern form; he writes a rule for it;^32.8 in all he founds 9 monasteries of men; 330? he founds a monastery of women under his sister Mary; in all he founds 2 monasteries of women; other nunneries under his rule were estb in Egypt, Syria, Palestine, & Asia Minor; purpose of monastic life is intercession, reparation, & dedication to God. Charitable tasks is not their prime goal; that is role of deacons & deaconesses. Pachomius doesn't describe cloister as such, but a daily life spent within the walls.

Many of the communities of women became centers of learning where women developed their intellectual gifts & were able to exercise autonomy & influence not enjoyed by laywomen; simultaneously bps tried to curtail this influence by strict regulations limiting the nuns' mobility & outside contacts; the regulations for monastic women were almost always more severe & numerous than those for monastic men;^5.41

1st evidence of virgins taking public vows in the presence of a bishop=>admission into diaconate

St Jerome (345 or 347-420); he was born in Croatia, educated in Rome, & moved to Bethlehem; he writes "Life of St. Paul, the first Hermit"; it is a very early discussion of the origins of Christian monasticism; there was a controversy at the time about who was the first hermit; some thought it was Elijah and others thought it was John the Baptist. Jerome traced monasticism to Paul of Thebes => then his disciple Anthony => then Anthony's followers Amathus & Macarius; nonetheless this shows that the legend of Elijah as the first monk had already been promulgated. This legend first found adherents in the monks of Egypt, then by those of the Byzantine period, and lastly by the Carmelites;

Another component of the legend is that Mt Carmel was the ordinary residence of Elijah

Late in this century, monasticism spreads from Egypt to Palestine and thence up the coast to Tyre; this would => the approx. date of the beginning of laurae on Mt Carmel;

A laura was a group of cells or huts; the hermits lived next to each other and gave a certain obedience to a superior; they passed the week in solitude and came together on Saturday and Sunday for liturgy, to listen to an exhortation of the superior, and to discuss common problems^33.29-30

The Spanish nun Egeria makes her pilgrimage to the Holy Land; she describes a fully developed daily office; it is a hybrid of public worship of the whole cmty & particular elements done by the monastic cmty => that in almost all forms the daily office is a compromise between 2 radically different concepts & forms of worship: the cathedral office and the monastic office. The monastic office => a recitation of the psalms; the cathedral office => prayers to accompany the psalms, singing of hymns, readings, preaching, intercessions, & blessings

Society

Reference 7a61, 19b143

Carmel

Church St Basil (329?-379) founds a monastery for men; his Rule was an adaptation of Pachomius';^32.8 what St Benedict's Rule was for the West, Basil's writings were for the East; they still remain normative for Orthodox monasticism; "Orthodox nuns have nothing remotely approaching papal enclosure. Even the concept of enclosure would be regarded as Western. The orthodox emphasis is a monastic discipline, part of which involves not going out without necessity. The def of necessity is left to the discretion of the superior."

Society

Reference 4.100ff,170; 10a29; 21

Carmel

Church Double monasteries con't;

The laura becomes the most characteristic form of monasticism in Palestine. A laura was a cluster of cells in caves; the hermits lived an agglomerated rather than a cenobitic life. The cenobite was bound by a Rule, but the hermit was bound only by moral submission to the prior; the hermits spent the week in solitude, but assembled together on weekends for liturgy & to discuss common concerns; the hermits supported themselves by basket weaving or other similar work

Cassian (d ?435) is spiritual director for monastery of women in Marseille, Gaul^32.8

In Calabria, It. there is a funeral inscription for a woman named Leta; it is dated to the middle 400's and says: "Leta the presbytera lived 40 years, 8 months, 9 days, to whom her husband set up this memorial. She preceded him in peace the day before the Ides of May."

Eremetism flourishes among the Celts in Ireland, Scotland & Wales from 400s to 600s; St Columban became the model for hermits, pilgrims, & missionaries

Society

Reference 21

Carmel

Church There is an inscription in Dalmatia, former Yugoslavia, which states that a man named Theodosius acquired burial plots in a cemetery from the "presbytera & holy matron" Flavia Vitalia

Society

Carmel

Church Council of Orange forbids the ordination of any more women, but >10 deaconesses on staff at St Sophia's, Constantinople, in 6th Cent^10a29

Society

Reference 21

Carmel

Church 3/11 Pope Gelasius of Rome sends circular letter to bishops of southern It. It contains 27 decrees. No. 26 reads: "Nevertheless we have heard to our annoyance that divine affairs have such a low state that women are encouraged to officiate at the sacred altars, and to take part in all matters imputed to the offices of the male sex, to which they do not belong." This text traditionally thought to refer to diaconal ministry. G. Otranto says it refers to priesthood.

Society

Reference 10a29, 28.354

Carmel

Church Radegund, princess of Thuringia, founds the monastery of Ste-Croix in Poitiers; about 200 nuns formed the cmty; this monastery followed the advice of Cesarius of Arles. He taught that nuns should read, write, have access to a wide range of books, and spend 2 hrs/day in study; Radegund gave patronage to Venantius Fortunatus, the resident poet. He wrote Vexilla Regis prodeunt, which became a crusader battle hymn.^3.7 In 552 Radegund build the church of Ste-Radegonde for her nuns; it still stands; she died in 587^3.8

Double monasteries con't, but were made illegal in the East in 546 by Emperor Justinian;

Deaconesses still functioning in the church; some claim that as deaconesses were being eliminated canonesses pickted up doing their ministries; canonesses lived in informal communities under an abbess; they maintained their property and did not vow celibacy; they were free to leave & marry; ^38.494

Beginning of the use of icons

Spain adds filioque to the creed of Constantinople; this usage spreads to Gaul & Germany

Society

Reference 6a253-54; 7b136, 141

Carmel

Church St Caesarius of Arles (470-572) writes the "Rule for Nuns/Virgins"; it is the 1st rule written specifically for women & the 1st to impose cloister as such; he exempted nuns from the authority of the bishop. This rule mandated: 1. Absolute cloister 2. Common life with strict regulations 3. Hierarchical govt 4. Economic self-sufficiency, and 5. Carefully regulated liturgical prayer. It became the dominant rule in Gaul, but not in England; Augustine used St Caesarius' "Rule for Nuns" as his model for "Regula Sororum," but he did not impose cloister

Society

Reference 21

Carmel

Church A decree from the Emperor Justinian confirms the holiness, priesthood, & access to sacred ministry of both men & women deacons. This suggests male and female diaconate was far more widespread in Greek East than in Latin West. Since this is 39 yrs after Gelasius' letter and still confirms women deacons, this re-enforces idea that Gelasius really was objecting to ordination of women to priesthood.

Society

Reference 4.101, 10a29

Carmel

Church Double monasteries con't

Aldheim, who was a monk, bishop, & poet, suggests to abbess of Barking that her nuns should work like bees, culling honey not only from sacred scripture, but also from their knowledge of ancient law, history & allegory; he suggested study in grammar, orthography, punctuation & meter^3.10

Aidan of Lindisfarne asks Hilda of Whitby to help him Xtianize Northumbria; she founds several convents there; she becomes abbess at Whitby, a famous double monastery noted for its learning & zeal; Caedmon, the earliest English poet, was a cowherd at Whitby; Hilda recognized his skill & encouraged him to become a monk & poet ^3.8ff

Waldebert's Rule for Virgins warns, "None of the nuns should presume, however, either to receive confession or to give penance sine ordinatione abbatissae."^38.485

614 the Persian Chosroes II invades the Holy Land and sacks about 130 monasteries. Probably the Monastery of St Margaret on the promontory of Mt Carmel was destroyed at this time

The Gk monks claim that St Margaret/St Marina's had been built by Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine^33.123

664 a synod to resolve how to calculate the date of Easter is held at Whitby; Hilda & her nuns took an active part^3.8

Society

Reference 7b136, 24.33, 38.482

Carmel

Church Double monasteries con't;

beginning in 726 under Emperor Leo III there was a brutal reaction against the cult of sacred icons; artists were tortured & killed; icons were destroyed;

The Mass text, "Pray that my sacrifice & yours may be acceptable..." dates to this cent.

748 St Boniface asked for nuns to help in his work of evangelizing in Germany; Lioba becomes abbess of Bischofsheim; the nuns there studies Latin & ran a scriptorium; Charlemagne's queen Hildegard invited Lioba to court; Boniface asked that Lioba be buried near him; this was done.^3.9

De ordinatione et electione abbatisse; this document dates to 8th or 9th century; it is important because it denotes the ordination of abbesses, that is, of women.^38.482

In the literature of this period, the wives of bishops are usually called coniux, not episcopa; this => episcopa refers to a female bishop

Society 711 North African Muslims invade the Iberian Peninsula for the 1st time; in 714 they conquer Abula from the Visigoths; Toledo was the Visigoth capital; Abula was 1st settled by the Romans; it later becomes modern Ávila; for the next 300 years the Xtians & Muslims will battle for control of the central Castilian plateau^8.1

Reference 24.19-20

Carmel

Church Mosaic & reliquary incriptions from this century mention Theodora episcopa; she is not married to a bishop; she is the mother of Pope Paschal I (817-824) ^38.491

829 Council of Paris complains that women were assisting mass at the altar, touching the sacred vessels, helping the priest to vest, offering communion to people, etc; there was no mention of scandal except among the reforming bps; ^38.494-95

The Pseudo-Isidorean Decretals forbid marrying presbyterae, deaconesses, & nuns; this would be an odd rule if presbyterae were already the wives of priests; ^38.491

In 843 icons reemerge;

Double monasteries decay;

Until this cent. lay people brought ordinary bread and wine for the gifts to be consecrated at Mass; in this cent. there is belief that unworthy people shouldn't bring the bread & wine for Mass; the elements used were made by monks & clerics; growing emphasis on otherworldliness of Eucharist led to use of bread that was different from ordinary table fare; unleavened bread now used and received on tongue; incense begins to be used to prepare the gifts

Nuns once again forbidden to leave the cloister

Nuns at Chelles have an extensive library^3.11

Several nunneries of this time have professional scriptoria^3.11

Society emphasis on schooling & books spreads to upper nobility of lay men & women^3.11

Charlemagne ascends throne in spirit of reform; Charlemagne insists that his daughters, as well as his sons, be educated in the liberal arts; his sister and one of his wives were also schooled; they studies grammar, rhetoric & logic, arithmetic, geometry, & astronomy^3.10ff

Carmel

Church 900 A Roman Ordinal states that presbyterae and deaconesses received their commissioning at the same time & as part of the same ceremony as their spouses => spouses formed a liturgical team.^38.494

961 d. of Atto, bp of Vercelli; when asked what the law says about presbyterae and deaconesses, he writes in a letter that there was a shortage of workers in the early church and says, "therefore for the aid of men, devout women were ordained (ordinantur) leaders of worship in the holy Church." He also pointed out that in the early church women prepared other women for baptism both by catechesis and then by assisting at the baptism. He explained that this rarely happens anymore and in any event, the Council of Laodicea forbids women to baptize. Atto did not rule out the existence of deaconesses at that time and he even alluded to some who claim that the functions of deaconesses had been given over to abbessess; Atto disagreed with this claim.^{38.483-4, 492-3}

900s A Romano-Germanic pontifical offers two references to the ordination of women => ordinatio abbatissae canonicam regulam profitentis.^38.482

Society 947 Emperor Otto I invests the abbess of Gandersheim with supreme authority, so that the abbey became an independent princedom with its own courts, army, the right to mint coins, to be represented at the imperial assembly, & to answer directly to the pope without episcopal interference. The abbesses were members of the imperial family.^3.13

Hrotsvitha, a resident of Gandersheim, writes 8 metrical legends, histories in verse glorifying both Otto I & Gandersheim's foundation, and 6 dramas modeled on Terence. Hrotsvitha is thought to be a canoness. These could retain their own property, have servants, buy their own food, entertain guests, & come & go freely^3.13ff

Reference 4.154,171; 15.16; 16; 19a521; 24.20; 28.354

Carmel

Church Spiritual renaissance in which hermits became influential; eremetical movement gathered force in W France;

Paradoxically hermits were often more involved in the contemporary life than were monastics^34.2

1012 Romuald founds Camaldules

1018 Benedict VIII allowed the cardinal bishop of Porto to ordain bishops, priests, deacons, deaconesses, subdeacons, churches & altars^38.483

1018 d. of bp of Merseburg; his Chronicle of Thietmar recorded: "the same woman who at that time was 12 years old was veiled on Sunday, the kalends of May and on the next day ordained abbess."^38.483

1084 Bruno founds Carthusians

Carthusian tradition had women adherents who were ordained as deacons; this practice continues even today (this info heard in a lecture & not otherwise documented)

St Anselm (1033-1109) addressed Jesus as Mother;

Pope Gregory IX prescribed 6:00pm church bell as a reminder to pray for the Crusades; Franciscans recite 3 Aves = beginning of angelus tradition;

Hosts now universal

Pope Benedict VIII introduces filioque into the Roman Liturgy

In England the number of nuns = about 21% to 30% of the number of male religious; the men in prints of the period always greatly outnumber the women^3.19

Society European commerce & trade virtually extinct; cities have disappeared; commerce cont'd in East;

Don Alonso Sanchez de Cepeda settles in Ávila

1054-1064 conquering Normans invade Byzantine empire; they cut off Calabria in southern Italy from Greek control

1083 Castilian King Alfonso VI gains definitive control of the region^8.1ff

1085 Alfonso occupies Toledo; he charges his son-in-law, Raymond of Burgundy, with establishing the new city of Ávila on the old site of Abula; this in known as the Repopulation; settlers come from northern Spain & France; the Cathedral of San Salvador & the city walls were built; ennobled warriors came to dominate city life ^8.1ff

1086 Jews first settle in Ávila in an area inside the south wall^8.11ff

During the Crusades from the end of this century onwards, while the men were away, women ran the affairs of home & state^3.74

Carmel

Church Cluniac convent of Marcigny founded; people amazed at severity of enclosure; no later Cluniac convents modeled on it; ecclesiastical reform re: non-canonical episcopal marriages was key to Cluny^7b138ff

Society

Carmel

Church First Crusade. Jerusalem, Ramleh, Bethlehem, & Jaffa taken by the Xtians=>est'b of Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem & return of Latin Christianity; there were 3 subunits within this kingdom: the Principalities of Antioch & Tripoli & the County of Edessa; at its apogee it extended over all of Palestine;^34.2-3

A Patriarch was appointed to Jerusalem to represent the Pope; the patriarch was head of the local episcopacy^33.54

Society

Reference 4.118ff, 10a30

Carmel

Church Or 1101; Fontevrault founded by Rob't of Arbrissel: it included the Grand Moustier for nuns, la Madeleine for repentant prostitutes, St Lazare for lepers, & St Jean de l'Habit for men; they followed a Benedictine-based rule but were always headed by an abbess who was a widow^3.104; it was the 1st double monastery in France

Haifa falls to the Crusaders & becomes part of a "seigneury" governed by the lord of Cayphas; Cayphas falls back to the Muslims in 1291; Mt Carmel was also part of this seigneury

Society Tancred leads the Crusaders to victory in the siege of Haifa; the Venetians are rewarded with a quarter of the city for their help; the Desmesne of Haifa was created; Tancred incorporated it into his Principality of Galilee & entrusted it to govt by Baldwin I; this territory extended from the torrent of Kishon to Athlit; Haifa did not have its own bp; it depended on the 1st bp of Acre;^33.32

The Patriarchache of Jerusalem was set up with 4 metropolitan sees: Tyre, Caesarea, Nazareth, & Petra^34.3

Tancred also took Tiberias, Nazareth, Mt Tabor, & Beisan; he annexed them into his principality as well.^34.3

Matilda marries Henry I of Eng; she founded a leper hospital, an Augustinian priory, a riverside wharf, & the 1st public lavatory in London; she was often regent^3.49

Reference 4.104,122,136ff,151ff; 6a262; 7b149; 10a32&34; 19f706-7,

Carmel 1106 the Russian abbot Daniel gives the earliest known Christian reference to the Cave of Elijah at the base of Mt Carmel; he knew that Elijah lived there & was fed by ravens there

This cave is clearly made by human excavation

The Muslim name of this cave is el-Khader (the Green One, because Elijah is still alive & youthful^33.122). This name takes its origin from the Sumarian myth of the god Tammuz who is a fertility/water/storm god like Baal; the celebration for Tammuz was in the second half of July. The cult of Tammuz passed over into el-Khader in the Muslim world; they associate this being with Elijah and St George. Oriental Christians transmuted the celebration of Tammuz to the feast of Elijah and Judaism has a similar holy day on 17 Tammuz.

1132? the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of Cayphas transferred from bishop of Acre to bishop of Caesarea => Patriarch of Jerusalem was not the Carmelites' immediate superior

1132 the patriarch of Jerusalem transfers the ecclesiastical control of Haifa to the Archbp. of Caesarea^33.32

1165? Benjamin of Tudela describes the Cave of Elijah where some Edomites had built a place of worship that they called "Sant Elias"

1175? John Phocas refers to this cave as the place where Elijah lived before he ascended into heaven; the cave's name clearly is intended to express the local legend that it was the ordinary residence of Elijah; Phocas mentions the ruins of a monastery being there & says that a white-haired Calabrian priest lived there with about 10 brethren; Friedman suggests that Phocas was interested in the Calabrian because they both were Greek; this cmty survives the defeat by Saladin at Hattin in 1187 & cont to be mentioned in the itineraries of the 13th century; Frieman also suggests that the 1st Carmelites called themselves the Latin hermits of Mt Carmel to distinguish themselves from this other Greek Xtian cmty of hermits

There are many medieval legends connecting the small grotto in this cave to the Virgin Mary, the Holy Family, etc

1192 all of the extant itineraries that refer to the Latin hermits of Mt Carmel date from after this time

Church Many Benedictine orders for women founded; they led their own lives & had their own chapters; they preached, heard one another's confessions, & did some manual labor.

A Romano-Germanic pontifical in the library of Bamberg includes a section on the ordination of religious women, Ordinatio sanctimonialium.^38.482

Several sacramentaries dating from this time have prayers for the ordination of deaconesses; the language is the same [except for feminine endings] as the language used for the ordination of deacons;^38.494

Both presbyterae and deaconesses received special vestments as part of their ordination rites; ^38.494

Beguinages spring up near Liege & spread from there to Ger & Low Countries; extraordinary surplus of women in 12th & 13th Cents in Low Countries; the movement started as individual holy women set up cells near an abbey, hospital, or leper house so that they could pray & render service; the women promised chastity while they were in the beguinage, but maintained their rights to private property & worked to support themsealves;^3.115 beguines under suspicion by a clerical church because since they weren't canonical, they weren't subject to authority;

Social class determined the type of religious life open to women; early nunneries explicitly founded for & ltd to the upper class; rich ladies saw convents as convenient inns when traveling, boarding houses in time of trouble/illness & occasionally as schools for their daughters;^3.98 avg # of religious/house = 20; often "superfluous" daughters were placed at a nunnery when young & were educated there & became full members; e.g. Hildegard of Bingen was placed before she was 8^3.100

Widespread Cistercian theology of God as nurturing mother, esp noted in Bernard of Clairvaux;

1st Cistercian cmty of nuns near Dijon; enclosure not mandated; the nuns would attend the Gen'l Chapters;

Gratian's Decree promulgated in 1st part of cent. He is a Camaldolese monk. The Decree in one of the most imp canonical collections in history of canon law; it gains a univ. recognition not enjoyed by earlier canonical collections. It regulates conditions for acceptance of candidates into religious life; it states that infants can only be received with the consent of the parents!

Following Gratian the majority of scholars begin to argue that women could not be ordained; Rolandus Bandinelli, Stephen of Tournai, & Huguccio admit that women had once been ordained; Rolandus & Stephen write that there is no intrinsic reason why women could not be ordained deaconesses again if the church should so desire; the majority of canonists at this time agreed with Atto that the former role of deaconesse had been replaced by the contemporary role of the abbess. Abelard in a letter to his wife Heloise, an abbess, concurs with the canonists.^38.499

Abelard notes that he knew 2 famous teachers who argued that even women could consecrate eucharist.^38.501

Canonists now consistently insist on the necessity of free consent to create a valid marriage; this runs counter to the concurrent secular practice^3.30

Society Most of Europe now overwhelmingly Xtian^3.xii

European society organized in a tri-level hierarchy: the rulers who fought & protected; the prayers who linked people to the divine; the laborers who supported their superiors^3.xiii

Queens no longer normally exercise independent power; primary role now to provide a male heir to the throne; this is a change from the early Middle Ages when the king was chosen from among the most suitable members of the entire royal family; by the late 1200s the first-born son will expect to inherit an undivided kingdom in Eng & Fr^3.44

By the late 1100s the Fr king & queen had separate households; this => more individual lives & endless possibilities for intrigue^3.47

Women ruled in Aquitaine, Burgundy, Champagne, & Flanders while the men were away on Crusade^3.74

The proportion of women in the population begins to increase so that now the woman's family has to provide the marriage dowry; the amount con'ts to rise^3.22

First Crusade had opened Mediterranean & East to European trade; commercial revival spreads to Xtian Spain;

Earliest univs begin to take shape;

Evidence of women composers & poets;

Troubadour movement begins to extol the praises of personal love relationships; this will eventually impact the whole Western notion of marriage for love rather than for forming social alliances.

Carmel

Church

Society Crusaders take Arsuf & Caesarea^34.3

Carmel

Church

Society Crusaders take Acre; since this was a safer harbor than Jaffa, it became the principal landing site for pilgrims^34.3

Carmel

Church

Society Adelaide of Maurienne, 1108-37; queen of Louis VI of Fr; shared his power as a matter of right: both she & Louis had regnal yrs; her name appears as a participant in 45 charters; she shared in decisions re: benefactions, ecclesial app'ts, court cases, granting special privileges & royal protection, issuing safe conduct in her own name; with her husband she signed a joint oath of allegiance to Innocent II^3.47

Carmel

Church

Society Crusaders take Tripoli^34.3

Carmel

Church

Society Crusaders take Beirut & Sidon^34.3

Carmel

Church St Norbert founds the Premonstratensians in Fr; many large female cmties & double monasteries will be founded, but by the end of the 13th Cent, the men disavow any responsibility for the women^3.107

Society

Carmel

Church Lateran Council I forbids monks to undertake the care of souls^6a261

Callistus II reminded the convent of the Holy Savior & St Julia in Brescia that the bishop has the right to ordain abbesses, nuns, and all other clerics moved to take sacred orders.^38.483

Society

Carmel

Church

Society Crusaders take Tyre^34.3

Carmel

Church 1st evidence of grilles & grates in the Gilbertine nunneries

Society

Carmel

Church Lateran Council II regulates against all nuns living in the world without an approved rule: the religious' woman's place was in the cloister & there alone^6a261

Society

Carmel

Church d. ca 1140 of Bp Gilbert of Limerick; his injunction, De usu ecclesiae noted that "The bishop ordains abbots, abbesses, priests, and the six other grades." ^38.483

Prebayon in Provence joined the Carthusians; it was a rigorously withdrawn community of women & was founded in 610

Society

Carmel

Church

Society Louis VII personally leads the crusaders; his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, accompanies him; this leads to indiscretion^3.50

Carmel The earliest date proposed for the foundation on Mt Carmel; What is known with historical certainty is that toward the end of this century, some devout "palmers", Western pilgrims with different ethnic backgrounds, settled on Mt Carmel^33.86

Church Albert Avogadro boChurchn in mid-century; he was born at Castrum Gualterii, = ? in Reggio Emilia, in diocese of Parma^34.7; he was ? a member of Counts of Sabbioneta^33.69

Society

Carmel

Church

Society Mar: Eleanor & Louis VII's marriage dissolved^3.59

May: Eleanor marries Henry Plantagenet^3.59

Carmel

Church

Society Crusaders take Ascalon thereby securing the safety of Hebron which they had taken in 1099^34.3

Carmel In his writing Rabbi Benjamin of Tudele mentions a group of hermits living on Mt Carmel; Smet doubts these are proto-carms^34.6

Church

Society

Carmel The Templars build a watchtower over the ruins of St Margaret's; it is called the Tower of St Helena^33.123

Church

Society

Carmel John Phocas writes, "At the seaward end of the mountain range opens the cave of the prophet Elijah, whence, after an angelic life, he was caught up into heaven."^33.121 Smet doubts these were proto-carms^34.6

Church

Society 1174-1189: Eleanor of Aquitaine kept under close watch by King Henry; Eleanor had shared in their eldest son's rebellion^3.51

Carmel

Church Albert elected prior of the Canons Regular of the Holy Cross at Mortara^11.13

Society

Carmel

Church Albert named bishop of Bobbio; he successfully mediated between Pope Clement III & Frederick Barbarossa^11.13

Society

Reference 23IB3

Carmel

Church Albert becomes Bishop of Vercelli; governs there 20 yrs^{11.13, 33.69}

Society

Reference 4.172, 23IB4

Carmel Carmel was one of the few places of comparative safety left; it stayed in Xtian hands until the end of Frankish power; Smet feels many hermits fled to safety there^34.5

Church The Patriarch of Jerusalem moves to Acre^34.5

Society After 87 yrs of Xtian rule, Saladin at Battle of Hattin recaptures Holy Land; the Xtian Kingdom was reduced to a few coastal cities and an area around Acre; Smet says the only city in Xtian hands was Tyre;^34.5

Carmel Mt Carmel had become an important military base for Saladin's troops; historical sources make no reference to any Latin hermits near the spring of Elijah; this => the proto-Carmelites found sometime after this;^34.6

Church Albert presides over diocesan synod at Bobbio; this synod made disciplinary regulations that have remained in effect to modern times^11.13

Society The Third Crusade. The Crusaders take Acre to begin the reconquest of the Holy Land;^34.5

Reference 4.172, 6.263, 7b144

Carmel

Church The male Cistercians start to hold an annual gen'l chapter to consider necessary adjustments in their Rule for nuns; they reprimand the Spanish Abbots for traveling to the gen'l chapter in the company of abbesses

Society The 3rd Crusade

Richard the Lion-Hearted & Saladin sign treaty bringing 3rd Crusade to end; Xtians kept a strip of land along Palestinian coast, inc Mt Carmel, & free entry to Holy Land for pilgrims^34.5

Reference 7b144, 11.13

Carmel

Church Albert negotiated peace between Milan & Pavia;

A draws up statutes for Canons of the Collegiate Church of St Stephen in Biella;

Permission is given to the Cistercian nuns to go to Citeaux for the dedication of the church

Society After she had mediated a reconciliation between her sons John & Richard, Eleanor of Aquitaine retires to Fontevrault;^3.52

Carmel

Church Albert negotiates peace between Parma & Piacenza^11.13

Society

Reference 2, 6a274-5, 7b144, 11.13, 20

Carmel The Carmelites relate to the Virgin Mary as the Lady to whom they've given fealty^33.47

In 1200 & 1300s the Florentine friars can have their own income; they buy & sell their cells; they furnish them as their means allow

Church In this century there is a landslide of nuns' cmties which call themselves Cistercian; most were not formally recognized by the monks; in 1220 the monks try to control things by making enclosure mandatory for recognition; this is reiterated often by the general chapter and => difficulty in securing observance of the rule;

Cistercian gen'l chapters re-iterated & developed enclosure statutes with a frequency which suggests difficulty in securing their observance; papal involvement in the issue of enclosure: double locks, face veils & turns; 3rd order groups are founded; they were given a way of life adapted to living in the world; this was a way that women could make a profession of their dedication to God and not be compelled to live within cloister;

"Ancrede Ruwle", a treatise for recluses; it balanced mortification with common sense: unless there was some compelling need, a recluse "must not keep any animal except a cat." A recluse was expected to have a servant for errands & heavy work; she could entertain visitors in her parlor for good reason; permission from bishop was req'd to become a recluse; enclosure was symbolic

The 3rd order lay groups will also start living in cmty & take the 3 vows => evolution into 3rd Order Regulars; not before long cloister will be added

The canonists' insistence on free will for a valid marriage leads to the recognition of the validity of secret marriages: neither a priest nor witnesses were required; this leads to much abuse^3.31

Canonists note that both spouses have equal rights over each other's body: one could not take a vow of chastity, enter religious life, or go on a crusade without the free consent of the other; Pope Innocent III, anxious to recruit Crusaders, authorizes the men to go without their wive's consent; Aquinas later condemns this papal fiat^3.32

A few canonists admit that women might have the theoretical capacity to be ordained^3.33

Very powerful ladies still assist at church councils & convoke synods; they name clerics to benefices, chaplaincies & canonries^3.33

In Eng pet dogs & cats were frequently kept by nuns; the Bp of Caen forbade the nuns of Caen to keep larks & other caged birds^3.100

Versions of William of Durand's pontifical refer to De ordinatione diaconissae & De ordinatione et consecratione virginum; William points out that although women were once ordained deacons, this was no longer being done.^38.482

Before this century there is considerable diversity of opinion about what constitued an ordinatio and which ordines should be considered clerical; that understanding begins to consolidate in this century; it is in this period that ordination begins to be considered irreversible; it was not until the 15-16th centuries that the Church definitively recognized orders as irreversible sacraments.^38.486

It was not until this time that the moment of consecration in the mass was determined; Pope Gregory the Great had thought that it was the words of the Lord's Prayer; others thought that eucharist was instituted by the sign of the cross that was made over the gifts; ^38.500-01

The next debate became: were the words of institution effective in themselves regardless of who said them?^38.501

Early in this century confessions were still being heard by unordained religious, including the Franciscans; fierce theological battles were being raged over who had the authority to absolve and who had the authority to preach; the lay Waldensians were preaching at this time. ^38.501

Society Feudal law favored males but did not exclude from inheritance females in direct descent; usually the inheritance was divided equally among them^3.74

All the main trade routes now open; this leads to development of a non-servile burgher/merchant class; revival of commerce leads to renaissance of city life & skilled industry along trade routes.

By taxes cities bought a charter & home rule from crown; only men with property enfranchised.

Mercantile guilds reach their peak;

Money rather than barter becomes common;

Women admitted to univ in Bologna;

Population of London 40K, Ghent +40K, Cologne +30K; majority of European cities 1-2K;

Emergence of Gothic architecture

"Embroidery was a particularly female art....Clerics, who benefitted most from such work, were enthusiastic about this handiwork." Evidence of women working as acrobats & singers; evidence of women members of Eng artists guild

On the continent an unmarried woman or a widow was almost = to a man in private law, however Eng common law was esp restrictive of women's rights; but even there as the commercial system expanded, the law began to recognize the rights of a married woman trading on her own (as if she were unmarried)^3.34ff Texts describing ideals of perfection for women now generally written in the vernacular since by now only some nuns & a few highly educated ladies knew more than minimal devotional Latin^3.38

Carmel

Church

Society 1200: Albert arbitrates between the Abbot & Provost of St Abrogio, Milan

Reference 6.274, 11.13

Carmel

Church The Humiliati approved; they were the 1st lay group to seek a restoration of the place of religion in every day life; they lived at home under the spiritual direction of the mendicants; no vows; Albert & 2 Cistercian abbots helped compile their rule;^33.69 they are the prototype for later 3rd order groups

Society

Carmel

Church Albert elected patriarch of Jerusalem by the canons of the Holy Sepulchre^34.7

Society Eleanor of Aquitaine dies in 1204 & is buried at Fontevrault in a nun's habit^3.52

The capture & sack of Constantinople^3.80

Carmel

Church Soffredo resigns as cardinal of Santa Prassede & Legate in Palestine (Smet has this happening in '04); in Jan, Amaury of Lusignan = the King of Jerusalem & Peter, Patriarch of Antioch, approve the choice of Albert as patriarch; in 1205 Pope Innocent III confirms the appointment & confers Archbp.'s pallium on Albert for a 4 year term of office^33.69

Society

Reference 4.36, 52, 174; 11.13

Carmel Albert arrives in Holy Land in early months of the yr & estb's his see at Acre even though Acre had its own bp; Jerusalem had been under the control of the Muslims since 1187; Albert's principle task was to maintain the peace within the crusader leadership^33.69-74

Albert writes Rule sometime between early 1206 & his death on 9/14/14

The rule does not prescribe a habit; we do know that the one worn consisted of an undyed tunic, belt, scapular & hood, & a striped mantle.^34.9

Mt Carmel was technically under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of Caesarea; Albert, who was at Acre, was not technically the carms direct superior; ^34.7

The Carmelites are at Wadi 'ain es-Siah; "Siah" perhaps means "hermitage" or "pilgrims"

Church Albert arrives in Palestine; since Jerusalem was under Muslim occupation, Albert resides in Acre; he is both Patriarch of Jerusalem & Papal Legate

Society

Reference 7b145, 10a33

Carmel

Church Ironically, St Dominic's 1st religious fndatn was the convent at Prouille; he didn't think of it as the start of the Dominicans or the beginning of the feminine branch; it was a single pastoral arrangement to him and the papal bull recognizing the Dominicans makes no mention of it; Prouille was enclosed

Society

Carmel

Church Innocent III writes Albert saying, "We owe it largely to your efforts if the Eastern province is to some extent free of persecution or restored to peace."^34.7

Society

Reference 11.42

Carmel

Church Approbation of Franciscan Rule

10/13 Albert crowns John of Brienne as King of Jerusalem; John's wife Maria of Monferrato is the actual heir to this kingdom;^33.74

Cistercian abbots report the abbess of Las Huelgas in Sp to Innocent III; she held councils of abbesses, made visitations to affiliated convents, blessed the nuns, read the gospel, preached publicly, & heard confessions; Innocent directed the bp of Burgos & abbot of Morimundo to forbid this^{3.33, 38.498}

Society

Reference 4.155, 6a265, 7b147, 19c913

Carmel Willibrand of Oldenborg reports that solemn mass was celebrated daily at the Cave of Elijah; this => the Xtians return after defeat by Hattin in 1187

He also writes, "Mt Carmel is found by ascending from Haifa in a straight line. There one can still & venerate Elijah's home, where he lived & was fed by a crow & where latterly the Sunamite woman went to look for Elisha."^33.121

Church St Clare (b 1194, d 1253) receives habit from St Francis; "There can be little doubt that what Clare really wanted to do was to join the Order much on the same terms as the brethren....in some ways the story of Clare must be regarded as a tragedy...for her there was no alternative to the cloistered life." (This interpretation of her life is being discredited by current research.) Card. Hugolin will sharply curtail the visits of the friars to the nuns much to chagrin of St Clare

Society

Carmel

Church Maria of Monferrato dies; Albert is able to preserve the unity of the crusader princes around her husband, King John of Jerusalem; around this time Albert also negotiates the release of Peter, Patriarch of Antioch, from Beomund IV, Count of Tripoli, who was holding him prisoner; Albert also negotiates an exchange of prisoners with the Sultan of Egypt; he sent legates to the Sultan of Damascus in attempt to negotiate peace in the Holy Land; 4/19 the pope invites Albert to participate in a council to discuss the crusades being planned for Rome in 1215.^33.74

Society

Reference 4.180, 11.42

Carmel

Church 11/11 Lateran Council IV attempted to curb the exuberant proliferation of orders in the church decreeing that all religious orders had to follow rule of either Basil, Francis, Benedict, or Augustine; express authority of pope req'd for new order; regulation was reiterated in 1274; canonists felt congregations were included in regs as well;

Easter duty est'bd

A group of scholars at LCIV held that when nuns were ordained, they received the sacramental character of orders; this was a minority opinion but was not heretical; it => character of ordination still in flux at this time.^38.500

Society

Reference 11.42, 23Ia1

Carmel Jacques de Vitry, Bishop of Acre 1216-1228^33.55, writes making special mention of the eremetical life which had sprung up nearby: "Others, in imitation of the holy anchorite, the prophet Elijah, led solitary lives on Mt Carmel, especially on that part of it that overlooks the city of Porphyria, now called Haifa. They lived near the fountain called Elijah's Well, not far from the Convent of St Margaret the Virgin, where in little comb-like cells, those bees of the Lord laid up sweet spiritual honey."^34.4

Church Approbation of Dominican Rule

Society Prince Louis of Fr invades Eng & attacks Lincoln Castle; the noble woman Nicolaa de la Haye successfully directed its defense^3.79ff

Reference 4.155, 11.42

Carmel Thietmarus mentions a Xtian chapel in the Cave of Elijah

Church

Society 1217-1221; The Fifth Crusade

Reference 6.274, 11.42

Carmel

Church Franciscan Tertiaries begin; their rule was formally accepted in 1289; "perfection in the world"; this movement was the 1st in which women could make a profession of their dedication to God & not be compelled to cloister; over time the trend was toward community life; some became cloistered; by 1487 in one list of 82 monasteries, 13 accepted strict cloister;

d of Dominic

Society

Carmel

Church Francis' third Rule approved^11.42

Society

Carmel

Church The Dominican gen'l chapter decreed that no more nuns were to be incorporated into the order; some wanted to suppress existing houses^7b145

Society

Reference 11.42

Carmel c1225, Fr pilgrim describes "a very beautiful little church of Our Lady" belonging to the Latin hermits on Mt Carmel

Church B of Thos Aquinas; d 1274

Society

Reference 4.181, 7b143,145; 11.19,42;22.19

Carmel 1/30 Pope Honorius III issues bull of approbation stating Carms could con't with Rule of Albert^33.90

Church 10/23 d. of St Francis;

Pope Honorius forbids the Dominicans to abandon the nuns (cf 1224). An ecclesiastical variation on the eternal triangle had evolved: the male orders opposed female branches; the women were determined on membership; and the hierarchy supported the nuns' efforts so as not to be saddled themselves with the direction of convents.

Society 11/8 Louis VIII of Fr dies; Blanche rules as regent for the next 12 yrs until Louis IX comes of age; she will rule again when Louis goes on crusade in 1248; she died while he was away.^3.52-5

Carmel

Church

Society 1228-1229, The Sixth Crusade^11.42

Reference 4.123,181ff; 11.42

Carmel 4/5 Gregory IX empowers prior to absolve those who leave the desert (they were considered "repentant apostates")^34.10

4/6 pope clarifies a doubt about the interpretation of poverty; the rule => the observance of communal as well as personal poverty; like the other *mendicants*, the order could not own property; he allowed only the possession of donkeys for transport and poultry for small-scale breeding^33.59-60; but Smet points our that other *eremetical* cmties practices this form of poverty.^34.10

4/9 friars accorded protection of Holy See^34.10

Probably the friars start returning to their countries of origin around now; others date this closer to 1239^34.12

Church

Society Frederick II signs peace treaty with Sultan Malik al-Kamel; he secures Jerusalem + a corridor to Jaffa, Nazareth, & western Galilee;^34.5 peace lasts 10 yrs^33.59

Queen Blanche sends in royal soldiers to quell a riot at the Univ of Paris; some scholars are killed & the univ is closed by a boycott; it took 2 yrs for a settlement to be reached^3.54

Carmel A Fr pilgrim visits Mt Carmel & notes that their little church was dedicated to Our Lady. "On the slope of this same mtn, is a very fair place and delicious, where is a little church of Our Lady," he wrote.^34.9

Church

Society

Carmel

Church Honorius II formally approves rule for 2nd order Dominicans^6.265

Society

Carmel c. 1235 Roehricht's map calls the Carmelite place on Mt Carmel a "heremitorium"^4.34

According to tradition, the very first foundation of the order was at Valenciennes^33.59

Church

Society

Reference 4.183,194; 11.42

Carmel Following Vincent of Beauvais (d 1264) & dated according to tradition; the hermits of Mt Carmel begin migrating westward; date must be considered approximate^34.12

Fndat'ns in Cyprus & Sicily

Wlm of Sandwich notes that the friars are est'b in Marseilles

Church

Society

Carmel

Church

Society Crusaders suffer major defeat at Gaza => Latin empire at Constantinople begins to totter => impetus for Carmelites to migrate to Europe^4.183

Carmel

Church

Society 11/11 Richard of Cornwall lands at Acre^34.12

Carmel 5/3 Richard of Cornwall departs for Eng; he takes carms with him; among them were Ralph Fryston & Yves Breton^34.13

12/25 carms brought to royal court & were granted permission to stay in Eng; ^34.13

Church "Definitive" const of Dominicans^11.42

Society

Reference 4.193ff, 11.42

Carmel Jan. Carms found at Hulne & Aylesford; Sir Richard Grey of Codnor & Lord Wlm de Vescy are two knights who accompanied Richard of Cornwall on the Crusade of 1240;^33.59 Vescy was responsible for the fndatn in Hulne, Grey for Aylesford;^34.12

Sicily & Eng Est'bd as provinces

Church

Society

Reference 4.183, 11.43

Carmel Carm Bros found in Provence near Marseilles

Church

Society Jerusalem falls to Egyptians^33.59

Reference 11.43

Carmel Carm province of Provence est'b;

6/13 an indulgence is granted to those who give alms to the Carmelites

Church

Society

Reference 4.184,190,194ff; 11.43; 23IB5

Carmel 1st gen'l chapter of Carm Order held at Aylesford; Godfrey ? 1st prior gen'l; this => he was prior at the wadi

2 bros (Reginald & Peter of Folsham) sent to Rome (Ref. 33.60 says Lyon where the Pontifical court had its residence at the time.) for clarification & changing of Rule to adapt it to medieval European conditions;

7/26 Innocent IV issues "Paganorum incursus" which allows the friars to dedicate themselves to the care of souls^33.60

10/1 Innocent IV issues Quae honorem Conditoris mitigating the Rule & giving Carms canonical status recognizing them as a mendicant order; two prelates: Hugo of St Chas, Card of St Sabina & Wlm, Archbp. of Antarados, did the revisions; they both were OPs.^33.90

Society 1248-1254 The Seventh Crusade^11.43

Carmel Following Edwards: ?Gen'l Chapter in London; Simon Stock entrusts govt. of bros in Syria to Nicholas the Frenchman; Friedman: ?Godfrey elected Prior Gen'l again

Church 1251 & onward Mechtild of Magdeburg, Mechtild of Hackeborn, Gertrude of Hackeborn, & Gertrude of Helfta, the 4 mystics of the Low Countries encouraged the spread of devotions which were the standard practices of later medieval piety: devotion to the Eucharist & and the humanity of Christ

Carmel 1st use of the title "Order of St Mary of Mt Carmel";

Church Nov: Queen Blanche of Fr dies at the Cistercian abbey of Maubuisson^3.55

Carmel ? Gen'l Chapter at Cambridge; ?Godfrey re-elected Gen'l

Church Rule for Poor Clares approved

Carmel There is a legend that at the end of the VII Crusade when St Louis, crusader king of France, set sail for home, his ship encountered difficulty off the coast of Mt Carmel. When the king heard the bell for matins at midnight, he resolved to visit the monastery if the ship were saved. The legend says the weather calmed immediately and Louis dutifully paid the Carmelites a visit. Friedman finds a visit to be historically possible; a shipwreck off the coast is not; they estb convent in Paris

Carmel ? Gen'l Chapter at London; Simon of Eng elected Gen'l;

Church 4/9 Alex IV constitutes the Augustinian Friars consolidating 4 bodies of former hermits

Carmel A letter of the prior at St Eloy gives permission to the friars to have a house, church, & cemetery at Quai des Celestins, Paris^4.194

Church Prebayon withdrew from Carthusians when the gen'l chapter decreed that the nuns had to be ruled by a priory of monks

Carmel The Carmelites in Acre desire to open a town church with a bell tower, a cemetery, & the right to celebrate liturgy; the bishop opposes this; the Carmelites appeal to Rome; Alex IV gives permission;

Carmel 5/22 Urban VI reconfirms Rule; (Urban had been Patriarch of Jerusalem before becoming pope)

Carmel Monastery on Mt Carmel rebuilt; presumably Nicholas is involved; 2/19 Urban IV in papal bull mentions a sumptuous monastery being built on Mt Carmel; => an architectural shift from an "heremitorium"; the Carmelites seemed to have needed $ from benefactors to complete the project because the Pope granted a 100 day indulgence to help encourage benefactors

Church Pope Urban IV stipulates that Franciscan nuns must remain within cloister for life & could only leave without permission in case of mortal danger; => 1st nuns to live under a strict cloister imposed by the Holy See ^6a266

Carmel Carmelites flee Mt Carmel in face of attack;= ? the time of the deepest ash layer at Mt Carmel;

Society Sultan Rukn-ad-Din Baibars of Egypt begins campaign of reconquest; he wins control of entire Palestinian coast except Athlit & Acre^33.61

Carmel Gen'l Chapter at Toulousse; Nicholas of Narbonne elected prior-gen'l; new Const drawn up; they are not extant (Clarke & Edwards)^11.44

Carmel 1st recorded ordinations at York^11.44

Carmel Truce restores Mt Carmel to the Xtians; the bros return^4.186

Carmel Gen'l Chapter at Messina; new Const lengthen Divine Office; they are not extant

Church Thomas Aquinas begins teaching in Paris 1/69 to 4/72

Carmel Gen'l Chapter in Paris; Nicholas resigns & is succeeded by Ralph Fryston, the Provincial of Eng; new const.--not extant;

Carmel Ref 33.62 says the Carmelite presence on Mt Carmel was "interrupted";

Society Baibars signs 10 year truce with Prince Edward of Eng; the Latins control a strip of the coast between Acre and Sidon; pilgrims can freely use the road to Nazareth^33.61

Carmel Carmelite Const suspended by 2nd Gen'l Council at Lyons; the Carms protest; but ref 11 says the Carmelite & Augustinian Const were spared at 1st; ref 4 says Carms could con't until final decision reached; Carmelites lobby Rome for next 20 years

Church Council of Lyon; all orders obliged to live under one of the 4 existing rules: Basil, Benedict, Augustine, or Francis;

Carmel Gen'l Chapter at Bordeaux; Peter of Milan Prior Gen'l; new const. (not extant)^11.44

Carmel Gen'l Chapter at London; new Const; they are the earliest which are extant; very detailed regs for the life; the scapular was grey; breeches were permitted for health & travel; shoes were forbidden; they followed the rite used at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher; the Chapter stipulated that the bros should wear the striped shawl or mantle; this was received poorly & was rescinded by the chapter of 1287

Carmel Sept. Richard, Archbp. of Nicosia; Wlm, Bp of Hebron; & Wlm, Bp of Tiberias, write to pope on behalf of carms; the carms in their jurisdiction were suffering from the loss of alms; this loss was caused by doubts about their legitimacy that flowed out of the Second Council of Lyons^33.61

Carmel 6/3 The monastery of the Latin hermits of Mt Carmel mentioned in a treaty was a 10 year truce drawn up at Acre between Sultan Malik al Mansur of Egypt & the crusaders; the crusaders retained control over the canton that the monastery is in; this treaty refers to the Carmel as a "monastery" & not a "heremitorium"; this => an architectural evolution; "Mar Elias" = the Cave of Elijah is also mentioned in the treaty

Carmel Gen'l Chapter at Pavia; proctors sent to Rome to request exchange of striped carpeta for a white mantle

Church 1st Dominican Tertiary Rule composed; the rule received full approbation in 1405; there was also a gradual shift into vowed community life, but there is no mention of cloister in their early documents^6a277

Carmel Honorius IV renews Papal patronage of order^11.44

Carmel GC at Montpellier affirms that the order was founded for the honor & service of Mary;^33.57 Wlm of Sandwich attends as Definitor from Province of the Holy Land; is accorded 1st place on list of Definitors;

Society Sultan Qalawun of Egypt again attempts to reclaim the Holy Land; he captures Tripoli^33.62

Society Sultan Qalawun marches against Acre, but dies of illness^33.62

Carmel Legend of Carmelite massacre at this time = ? superficial ash layer at Mt Carmel; legend says the monastery was destroyed by fire and the bros died singing the Salve;

Church 4/6 Qalawun's son, Sultan Al-Ashraf Khalil attacks Acre; 5/18 Acre falls; 5/28 Khalil defeats the Knights Templar who had been holding out in their fortress at Acre; Khalil orders the systematic destruction of the city so that it could never be a base of operations for the Xtians again. ^33.62

Society or 1288? Marco Polo returns to Europe after 17 yrs in China

Carmel Jutta & Bruno of Bunregassen found the Carmelite friary in Cologne & they become oblates there^32.17

Carmel GC at Bordeaux; new const, extant;

Carmel Gerard of Bologna becomes the 1st Carm Master in Theology at Paris^11.45

Church The Cistercian gen'l chapter forbids their nuns from going on pilgrimage^7b145

Carmel The studium generale at Paris is organized;

Carmel Boniface VIII estabs order "in a firm state"; he lifts the suspension of the Carm Const

Church "Efforts to keep the nuns enclosed & to prevent them from going out were pursued thru out the 13th cent & culminated in a strict regulation of enclosure by Boniface VIII in 1298; however the document lacked norms to implement these ideals & the bps neglected their enforcement,^5.42 and so the ingenious nuns kept finding new excuses for necessary visits & the bishops' fulminations on the matter seem to have had little effect."^3.101 "Periculoso" issued; it was the 1st time that cloister was imposed as a universal obligation by the Holy See; it was worded to permit no exceptions.^5.41

Carmel In 1300 the prior gen'l, Gerard of Bologna, receives a group of "ladies & sisters" into the order as sisters = sorelle = vestite = mantellate = pinzocchere. Unfortunately, pinzocchere can mean either a non-professed sister or a conversa. These sisters took 1-3 vows but not according to the rule of the Order; hence these were private or simple vows.^32.12

At the beginning of this century Universis christifidelibus written anonymously; it attempts to fill in the gap about the history of the order between Elijah and the pontificate of Innocent III; it divides Carmelite history into 3 parts: Elijah to Christ, Christ to Albert, after Albert;^33.34

Early in this century, the Eng Carm, John Baconthorpe, writes Speculum de instituione ordinis; for the 1st time he unites the Marian &

c1350 Jean de Chemino, a Carm from Lorraine, wrote Speculum fratrum ordinis beatae Mariae de monte Carmeli; this work also linked Mary & Elijah; he attempted to show that both were members of the tribe of Aaron, both professed virginity, that Mary frequently visited the hermits on Mt Carmel, etc^33.35-36

Church By now women's Benedictine cmties outnumber the men's.

Society When a noble woman inherited a title with its lands & riches, the husband normally (always in Eng.) took over the title, wealth & duties of the inheritance^3.72

Church Birth of Birgitta of Sweden; d 1373; in 1348 she wrote her "Revelations"; she urged the Avignon popes to return to Italy;

Carmel In Bologna, Benvenuta Venturoli pledges herself & her goods to the prior of St Martin's convent; she promises obedience & was assigned to live in her former house^32.11

Carmel GC at Toulousse promulgates new const.; not extant^11.45

Carmel Godfrey Espavanto, subprior of Valenciennes, admits Agnes Tuepana to a group of pinzoccherae; her sister Elizabeth was already a member^32.18

Carmel Diana Buzzadelli offers herself & her possessions to the prior of the Carmine of Florence vowing him obedience according to the rules & const of Carmel^32.11

Church 1309-1377 Avignon popes^32.19, heavy papal taxation, decline in moral/spiritual standards of clergy; Avignon popes start the practice of accepting money as the necessary good work to do penance, show contrition, & gain an indulgence

Church Pope Clement V at Council of Vienna condemns beguines under pain of excommunication; however he inserted a loophole in his condemnation which allowed the movement to con't

Carmel GC in London commissions Sigbert of Beek to draw up a ceremonial for the order according to the rite of the Holy Sepulcher^11.45

Carmel Prior gen'l Gerard of Bologna grants letters of confraternity to Ferdinand Velasquez, archdeacon of Ávila. (d 1390)^32.16

Carmel 3/13 John XXII exempts order from episcopal jurisdiction in internal affairs^11.45

Carmel The General makes an official visit to Catalonia-Aragon in Sp; a chapter is held at Barcelona.^37.11

Carmel 11/21 John XXII extends full mendicant privileges to order;^11.45

new const. promulgated by GC at Barcelona; they contain the Rubrica Prima (the RP was first promulgated in 1281); for the first time the order formally justifies its Marian character^33.41

Society 1337-1453 The Hundred Years War^11.45

Carmel May, Salvino degli Armati & his wife Bartolomea simultaneously enter the order as oblates in Florence; they take 3 vows to God, OLMC, and the superiors of the order according to its rule & const until death; they are given the habit by the provincial; Salvino becomes a laybrother; Bartolomea did not live in the convent.^32.12

Church St Bridget of Sweden attempts to revive double monasteries^10a35

Carmel The convent in Avignon lost 66 friars to the black plague^32.19ff; the Tuscan province lost 100 => admission standards lowered

Society 1348-50 or '47-51, the Black Plague; it is est to have killed half the pop => major decrease in work force; worker shortage meant workers could buy freedom;

Carmel The General makes an official visit to Catalonia-Aragon in Sp; a chapter is held at Perpignan.^37.11

Society With "Golden Bull" German Diet proclaimed emperor's election valid without consent of pope

Carmel GC at Ferrara promulgates new const.^11.45

Carmel Bl. Nuno Alvarez Periera (1360-1431). He is a hero of Portuguese independence; after his military career he entered the Carmo of Lisbon as a semi-frater.^32.16

Carmel GC at Montpellier promulgates new const.^11.45

Carmel Philip Ribot (d 1391), the Catalan provincial,^33.42 compiles an early history of the order; this is^33.89 called The Institution of the First Monks; Teresa had access to a Castilian Spanish translation of this work at the Incarnation.^33.49

Carmel Santa Saluccio becomes a conversa in Florence^32.11

Carmel Deaths of two carms: Alberto Bartoli of Candia & Stefano di Andrea of Cyprus; both died after they returned from a futile attempt to re-establish the order on Mt Carmel^33.93

Society Wycliff publishes sweeping criticism of Church

Carmel The Feast of Our Lady of Mt Carmel, July 16, is instituted sometime between 1376 and 1386; in 1609 it became the "Scapular feast", and in 1726 it was extended to the whole church^23Ia13

Carmel Lorenza Lambertuccio of Florence requests a transfer from the vestites of the pinzocchere of the Carmelite Order to the oblates & conversae who were professed. The pinzocchere formed an association of non-professed sisters.^32.13

Church 1378-1447; The Great Schism of the West divided the Church between 2 & even 3 popes^32.19

Carmel The Order divided between Pope & anti-Pope; 1381-1411 there are 2 priors gen'l^32.19

Church Colette of Corbie (1381-1447); French mystic who reformed the Franciscan nuns^11.45

Carmel The Carm Jean d'Angers dies on Mt Carmel c. this time^33.93

Carmel Bonuccia Sardi becomes a conversa in Pisa^32.11

Church Birgitta of Sweden canonized; she didn't conform to the accepted mould for a recluse; i.e. she had been married, she followed no accepted religious rule, & she spoke vigorously for the reform of the church

Society Pogroms against the Jews in Aragon & Castile, but not in Ávila^8.12

Church Julian of Norwich's "Revelations of Divine Love"

Carmel Fndatn of Carmo of Lisbon under patronage of Nuno Pereira. This is the 1st house to prescribe 2 hrs of meditation in common/day^32.16

Carmel In the second half of this century the Carmelites relate to the Virgin Mary simply as one of them, a fellow Carmelite^33.47

Church Rise of Dutch mysticism thru a Kempis;

Society Most peasants now free;

Carmel d of Catherine of Borsbeke who lived as a Carmelite recluse near Louvain^32.18

Carmel Order re-united under John Grossi^11.46

Carmel The Congregation of St Mary of Valverde accepts the Carmelite rule & contributes a number of monasteries of nuns to the Order

Carmel Special statutes approved by Provincial Chapter of Tuscany for a reformed observance at Le Selve = beginnings of Congregation of Mantua^11.46

Church Council of Constance: all contemplative nuns should be enclosed^10a35

Carmel d of Emma, daughter of the knight Miles Stapleton; she lived as a recluse attached to the Carmelite convent of Norwich; John Thorpe was her spiritual director^32.17

Carmel d of Alice Wabekeyn; she was a noble recluse attached to the Northampton friary; Margaret Hawton was also a recluse there^32.17

Carmel b of Bl Jane Scopelli in Reggio Emilia, It. She was clothed in the Carmelite habit but cont'd to live at home;^32.40

Society Joan of Arc's victory over the English at Orlean

Carmel d of Thomas Netter of Walden, Eng. He was interested in joining women to the order; he provided spiritual directors for the Eng recluses mentioned above as well as for Agnes at Ipswich and Alice Grawnsett in Cambridge^32.17

Society The DÁvila family estate est in Ávila; its income = 10K ducats/yr in 1500s; the estate included at least 4 towns & approx 1350 families^8.16ff

Carmel 2/15 Pope Eugene IV grants mitigation of Rule^{11.46, 16.139}

Carmel d of Bl Angelus Mazzinghi; he was part of Mantuan reform; he had been prior of Le Selve & Florence; he was both a famous preacher & a sought after spiritual director^32.22

Society Beginning of the Hapsburg emperors with the election of Albert

Carmel 1440-51 John Soreth provincial of Francia^32.22

Carmel Eugene IV erects Congregation of Mantua; cf. entry for 1400s^11.46

Carmel 1443-90 Bl Aloysius Rabata; he was a member of the province of Sicily; he was murdered and died refusing to name his killer^32.33

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Society 1447-1516 Bl Baptist of Mantua; he was a Latin poet^32.21

Carmel 8/15 Donna Innocenza, daughter of Simon d'Arrigo Bartoli; Sarah Lapaccini and her daughter Lena; and Anna de Davanzati received the habit of Carmel at the Carmine of Florence; Florence had collected some of its pinzocchere into a community they called "the house of our white ladies."^32.26

Carmel John Soreth elected prior general; he begins to work with Beguines; he also concentrates on reform of the Order^32.22ff

Church 1451-52 Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa goes on visitation in Germany and the Netherlands; he orders the beguines to adopt an approved rule; Beguines made promises of chastity and obedience; they recited certain prescribed prayers and lived in their own homes; these homes were grouped together to form an enclosure which was locked at night; the beguinage included a chapel, an infirmary, and a graveyard; usually it had its own curate^32.25

Carmel May 10, John Soreth authorizes the Beguines of Guelders, Netherlands (a.k.a. "ten Elsen") to be "associated" with Order; he authorized the prior of Guilders to admit them to profession, to provide them with habits, and draw up a way of life; they were to follow the Carmelite rule; Soreth was in the region because he was presiding at the chapter of the Lower German province^32.25ff

Carmel There is an extant rule for non-professed sisters in Brescia^32.13

Society Constantinople falls to Turks

Carmel 10/10 Donna Innocenza from Florence's "house of the white ladies" next forms a community with Rosa di Giovanni Filippi and Mattea Chellini; they were given a house by Donna Andrea Bornarli^32.27

Carmel 8/15 Soreth writes to the beguines at Nieukerk from Mors, Germany; he admits them to the order; they are cloistered, they eat in a common refectory, have a common work room, and recreate together at set times and places; Peter van Nieukerk translates & adapts the rule & Const. for them.^32.28ff

Carmel Bl John Soreth promulgates the Decree for Reformed Houses, approved by the GC in Paris; it covered the entire Order; members of the reform renounced all temporal goods, privileges, & exemptions; all ate at a common table; masses outside the convent were not usually accepted; postulants wore secular clothing; visitors were admitted only with permission of the prior; novices had to be >17 yrs old, priests >25; the cmty elected its own prior; the provincial could not transfer friars in or out without consent of cmty; this reform was approved by Pope Callixtus in 1457; it thus becomes known as the Callixtine Reform^32.23ff

Reference 11.46

Carmel 4/13 Callixtus III confirms the Decree for Reformed Houses^32.23

Carmel 12/5 Pius II mitigates the Carmelite Rule with regard to the fast^11.46

Carmel There are extant rules for non-professed sisters in Bologna & Mantua^32.13

Society Isabella & Ferdinand married; they would centralize authority in a strong royal govt.

Carmel John Soreth promulgates new const at the GC at Brussels; they are approved in 1469; these const permit the habit to be of a finer black wool; this was the 1st revision of the const since 1369;^{11.46, 32.24}

Carmel 11/2 John Soreth brings 9 sisters from Liege to Bondon to found the monastery there. They stayed at Frances of Amboise' castle until construction was completed. They are reported to rise at midnight for prayer^32.35

Carmel Earliest evidence of a monastery of nuns in Parma, It. Bl Archangela Girlani transferred there. She had entered in Trino, but found her family's presence too distracting. She eventually became prioress at Parma^32.39

Carmel Monastery of nuns founded in Haarlem; the nuns came from Guelders (or were trained there). They supported themselves by growing, steeping, combing, & spinning flax; they were probably cloistered; upon request the nuns would visit the sick in the region; in 1482 they found the monastery in Rotterdam^32.32

d of Nicola Calciuri, a Carm from Tuscany; he wrote Vita fratrum del sancto Monte Carmelo for the nuns at St Mary of the Angels in Florence; this work colorfully depicts the Elijan roots of the order; it also gives a fairly precise description of Mt Carmel based on the report of a recent visitor.^33.92-3

Carmel Death of Nuno Gonzalez del Aguilar, the Cathedral Canon; before his death he sought to sell his property to his mistress, Dona Elvira Gonzalez de Medina; she bore him 4 children; their son Diego del Aguilar disputes this in a lawsuit^8.41ff

Carmel Liege falls to Chas the Bold; the nuns flee to Maastricht; the amount of destruction allows only some to return; they take in young girls for instruction as scholars^32.30

Carmel Soreth arranges for the remainder of the Liege nuns who fled to Maastrict to make a fndatn near Brussels^32.31

Society Death of Juan Nunez DÁvila; he was the single most active builder of religious institutions of the century^8.39

Carmel Frances of Amboise becomes prioress at Bonbon & remains so for the rest of her life (Her psalter is at the Pierpont Morgan Library in NYC)^32.36

Carmel Death of Bl John Soreth^11.46

Carmel The Ger Carm Johannes Fritag visits Mt Carmel c. this year^33.93

Carmel Sixtus IV places the regulation of fast & abstinence entirely in hands of Gen'l^11.46

Society Cortes of Madrigal prohibits Jews from wearing ornaments of gold or silver and luxury fabrics; it banned usury^8.12

Society Cortes of Toledo also makes prohibitions for Jews; when these are published in Ávila, the Jews respond refusing to lend $; Ávila is desperate for funds because of Castile's war against Port; the city orders the Jews to make loans; they comply but are refused later repayment: the debtors claimed the interest rates were usurious^8.12

Carmel Dona Elvira wins her lawsuit against her son & regains most of her wealth^8.42

Church Spanish Inquisition founded under the control of the monarchy in order to suppress Jews & Moors; it was called "limpieza de la raza" or "purification of the race"; the wealthy people of black decent fled to the Low Countries and found acceptance in the nobility there; Negro racial characteristics can be seen in the early portraits of Queen Victoria's (of Eng) grandmother; the British portraits made of her in her later years suppress this fact;

Carmel Dona Elvira & 2 companions est a beaterio in her house;^8.42 they receive the habit from the provincial; Dona Elvira becomes the 1st prioress; this beaterio would grow to 14 women living under the Carmelite rule; it is the beginning of the Incarnation Monastery; this is the oldest beaterio in Castille^32.43

Society Aragon & Castile united into one kingdom

Carmel b? of Don Alonso Sanchez de Cepeda, T's father^1a.287

Society 1480-1520 a few elite families in Ávila, as in the rest of Europe, dominated the city council; they also supplied the cathedral chapter & monastic houses with personnel & financial backing^8.15

Carmel There is a rule in Venice called, Regola de le sorelle del Ordine, which may be the model for the other rules for lay sisters^32.13

Church Birth of Martin Luther

Carmel Inquisition of Toledo prosecutes Juan Sanchez, T's paternal grandfather; he was convicted as a judaizante, a secret practitioner of Jewish customs;^8.109 the sambenito is tacked to the wall of St Leoadia's; at the time he was a wealthy man, but probably he lost most of his wealth to the Inquisition; penitents were req'd to turn over a substantial portion of their wealth; also as penalty he & his children were made to walk in penitential processions ^31.19 to Toledo's churches on 7 consecutive Fridays;^8.109 T's father was between 3 and 5^{31.19, 36}at this time;

Society Henry VII, a Tudor, crowned in Eng to restore order. Henry oversaw transformation of Eng into a modern state; in order to secure peace abroad he weds his son Arthur to Catherine of Aragon; p Arthur's death, C married his other son, the future Henry VIII

Carmel Juan Sanchez & his family take up residence in Ávila^31.26

Carmel Henry d'Inghel obtained permission for a monastery in Bruges. Construction was started & 2 nuns from Haarlem came to instruct the candidates^32.32

The Fr Carm Nicolas Huen, PhD in theology, visits Mt Carmel & publishes Itineraruim Terrae Sanctae, which he dedicates to Queen Margaret of Austria. ^33.93

Carmel 5/26 GC at La Rochelle authorizes the eating of meat on Mondays^11.46

Society Nov. The Jews of Ávila lost the right to have their own organs of govt. and courts; they were forced to live within a crowded ghetto, a juderia^8.13

Church ? b of Mari Diaz to prosperous peasants who lived in Vita near Ávila^8.97

Carmel d of Bl Joan Scopelli

Church Ignatius of Loyola born

Society Chas VIII of Fr marries Anne, Duchess of Burgundy, thus practically completing the consolidation of Fr into a united territorial state

Carmel Archangela Girlani is chosen to head the new monastery of nuns in Mantua; it is funded by Marquis Francis II^32.39

Society Columbus discovers America;

Carmel Juan Sanchez & his family now live luxuriously in Ávila; he has a rich shop of woolens & silks on the Cal de Aldrin in the city's converso commercial district^8.110

Society Pope Alex divides all of New World between Port & Sp

Church Dona Maria DÁvila joins a beaterio connected with the Franciscans^8.41

Society Moors driven out of Spain at end of 1400's; period after this is very open

Carmel 1495?-1528? Beatriz de Ahumada, T's mother ^31.33

Church Maria Diaz (1495-1572)^1a299

Carmel d of the Carm Paschasius Brusaert; he was known to have visited Mt Carmel^33.93

Carmel Paleonydorus divides Carmelite history into 3 periods: the era of 1) the Ancient Law, 2) the Greek-speaking hermits on Mt Carmel, & 3) the Latin hermits <= 3 stars on shield^4.204

Church Alfonso Carrillo de Albornoz now bp of Ávila; he inspects the 3 Cistercian convents there & reports, "Very few nuns reside there...& there does not remain a sufficient number for the choir."^8.38

Society de Gama sails around Horn of Africa to India thus eliminating the need to pay off Muslim middle men in overland trade

Carmel 8/10 Fndatn of Congregation of Albi, France

Church Erasmus moves to England; befriends Thos More & John Colet;