Page "Avignon Papacy" Paragraph 23

A stronger impact was made by the move of the Roman Curia from Rome to Avignon in 1305.

Following the impasse during the previous conclave and to escape from the infighting of the powerful families that had produced earlier Popes, such as the Colonna and the Orsini, the Roman Church looked for a safer place and found it in Avignon, which was surrounded by the lands of the papal fief of Comtat Venaissin.

Formally it was part of Arles, but in reality it was under the influence of the French king.

During its time in Avignon the Papacy adopted many features of the Royal court: the life-style of its cardinals was more reminiscent of princes than clerics ; more and more French cardinals, often relatives of the ruling pope, took key positions ; and the proximity of French troops was a constant reminder of where secular power lay, with the memory of Boniface VIII still fresh.

This feature of papacy remained for centuries to follow, which eventually led to Reformation.