Patrimoniul Sfântului Petru, Regatul maghiar și Decretala Intellecto – despre inalienabilitatea teritoriului unui regat supus Romei
The Heritage of Saint Peter, the Hungarian Kingdom, and the Intellecto Decree – On the Inalienability of the Territory of a Kingdom Subject to Rome

Summary/Abstract: The study examines the relationships of subordination between the Roman Church and the medieval Christian kingdoms – England, Sicily, and Hungary – through the lens of the doctrine of inalienability, whereby territories under the jurisdiction of the Holy See could not be alienated or governed without papal approval. Grounded in the decretal Intellecto issued by Pope Honorius III in 1225, the article explores how the Church employed coronation oaths imbued with provisions of canon law and feudal principles to assert its supremacy over monarchs. At the core of the analysis lies the case of the Hungarian kingdom, where King Andrew II’s violation of his coronation oath through the concessions of the Golden Bull (1222) prompted papal intervention to safeguard the integrity of the iura regalia. Comparatively, the transformation of England into a papal fief (1213) under Innocent III and the subordination of Sicily through tense relations with Frederick II, followed by the establishment of the Angevin dynasty, illustrate the coherent application of this doctrine. The theocratic period spanning the pontificates of Innocent III, Honorius III, and Gregory IX highlights the adaptation of feudal concepts (beneficium propter officium transformed into officium propter beneficium) to redefine kingship as a ministry subordinate to the Church. The decretal Intellecto does not innovate but reinforces a pre-existing papal strategy, providing a significant precedent for vassalage relationships in medieval Europe and demonstrating the Roman Church’s efficacy in maintaining control over Christianitas.

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