First Council of Lyon

Why this council matters

Lyon I illustrates how deeply medieval ecclesiastical and political authority could become entangled. Its setting was the conflict between Innocent IV and Frederick II, which shaped much of its business.

The council also treated legal procedure and ecclesiastical discipline. Its documents should be read by distinguishing the issues of faith, the legal reasoning of the period and judgments about particular rulers. A simple list of dogmas cannot convey why this council mattered or how its authority was exercised.

Read and investigate

The documents are currently available through an external primary edition.