Pope from 1265 to 1268. A native of Saint-Gilles-du-Gard, Guy Foucois was the son of a prominent barrister and judge at the service of count Raymond V of Toulouse. Serving as both soldier and a lawyer, acting in the latter position as secretary to King Louis IX, he was married and fathered two girls, who later became nuns at the abbey of Saint-Sauveur de Nîmes. Upon the death of his wife, he assumed holy orders, just like his father did, and thanks to the influence of the named King Louis, soon rose to a rapid career, being appointed bishop of Le Puy in 1257, archbishop of Narbonne in 1259, and cardinal bishop of Sabina in 1261, becoming the first to be elevated to the Sacred College by Pope Urban IV. Named grand penitentiary in 1263, on November 22 of that year he was named legate in England, Wales and Ireland. With Pope Urban dying in Perugia in October 1264, Foucois, nicknamed "Le Gros", was elected his successor while still on mission in England on February 5, 1265. Taking the name Clement IV, he was crowned on the following September 15 at the cathedral of San Pietro in Viterbo. His brief papacy saw the Hohenstaufens extinguished while his political affairs brought peace neither to Rome nor to Italy. It was he who summoned Thomas Aquinas to Rome to serve as papal theologian. Dying just outside Viterbo at Dominican convent of Santa Maria in Gradi where he resided throughout his pontificate, without ever visiting Rome, in 1885 his remains were transferred to the church of San Francesco alla Rocca in Viterbo. Following his death, the papal throne remained vacant for nearly three years due to the several dividings present among the cardinals.
Pope from 1265 to 1268. A native of Saint-Gilles-du-Gard, Guy Foucois was the son of a prominent barrister and judge at the service of count Raymond V of Toulouse. Serving as both soldier and a lawyer, acting in the latter position as secretary to King Louis IX, he was married and fathered two girls, who later became nuns at the abbey of Saint-Sauveur de Nîmes. Upon the death of his wife, he assumed holy orders, just like his father did, and thanks to the influence of the named King Louis, soon rose to a rapid career, being appointed bishop of Le Puy in 1257, archbishop of Narbonne in 1259, and cardinal bishop of Sabina in 1261, becoming the first to be elevated to the Sacred College by Pope Urban IV. Named grand penitentiary in 1263, on November 22 of that year he was named legate in England, Wales and Ireland. With Pope Urban dying in Perugia in October 1264, Foucois, nicknamed "Le Gros", was elected his successor while still on mission in England on February 5, 1265. Taking the name Clement IV, he was crowned on the following September 15 at the cathedral of San Pietro in Viterbo. His brief papacy saw the Hohenstaufens extinguished while his political affairs brought peace neither to Rome nor to Italy. It was he who summoned Thomas Aquinas to Rome to serve as papal theologian. Dying just outside Viterbo at Dominican convent of Santa Maria in Gradi where he resided throughout his pontificate, without ever visiting Rome, in 1885 his remains were transferred to the church of San Francesco alla Rocca in Viterbo. Following his death, the papal throne remained vacant for nearly three years due to the several dividings present among the cardinals.
Bio by: Eman Bonnici
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