Clement V: the cursed pope

Clement V, by his real name Bertrand de Got, became the second French pope, and was to be the first to settle (and install the entire papal administration with him) in Comtat Venaissin in 1309. We can then think that glorious projects await him, an artistic, intellectual influence... This is not the case!

Cour itinérante de Clement V.

Clement V et Philippe le Bel face aux Templiers au concile de Vienne

He will have the misfortune of being next to Philip IV the Fair, king of France, when the Templars are arrested. But especially when Jacques de Molay, the great master of the Templars, climbed to the stake in 1314.

“Pope Clement! King Philip! Before a year, I quote you to appear in the court of God to receive your righteous punishment! Cursed! Cursed! All cursed cursed up to the thirteenth generation of your races! ” he will shout.

Jacques de Molay sur le bûcher des comdamnés

It is then that Clement V is caught up with terrible belly pains (today we think of bowel cancer).
His “physicists” (doctors) will then try everything to soothe his pains, and especially by making him swallow... crushed emeralds!

The remedies certainly did not have to work, since he died in April 1314...

As if to close this somewhat tragic end, during the funeral vigil, an inverted candle set fire to the catafalch and charred the calf of the deceased pontiff!

Here is a pope who made himself more famous by his death than by his lifetime!

So curse or coincidence?