In 1512, under Louis XII, a dramatic event took place that represented the complicated and frequently conflict-ridden relationship between the French monarchy and the Papacy. Louis XII, in a politic act, had a coin struck bearing the phrase "Perdan Babylonis Nomen" on it a Latin phrase which translated reads "I will destroy the name of Babylon." This indirect yet provocative message was openly interpreted as an overt allusion to the Papacy and the power of the Church in Rome.
The name itself was a declaration of Louis XII's intent to resist the power of the Pope and, by extension, the Catholic Church's power in European affairs. "Babylon" was a figure of speech in this context meaning perceived corruption, decadence, and moral degradation. In medieval and Renaissance Christian theology, "Babylon" was figuratively applied to Rome, the Catholic Church's seat, as being corrupt and in need of reform by some. Louis XII's use of the term showed growing disillusion on the part of some of the European monarchs, including the French, with the authority the Papacy exercised over spiritual and temporal affairs.
The timing of this inscription was particularly crucial. In the early 16th century, the Papacy was highly invested in Italian political affairs, and the Vatican's influence penetrated numerous European courts. The Papal States, which were directly ruled by the Pope, were a dominant territorial force that exercised not only spiritual influence but also played the intricate politics of the Italian Peninsula. For monarchs like Louis XII, who desired to increase their power and autonomy, the Papacy's role was seen as a hindrance. Louis XII, who was conducting military expeditions in Italy, was eager to consolidate his power and control over provinces like the Papal States and was often at loggerheads with the Papacy regarding territory and politics.
By striking the coin with the motto "Perdan Babylonis Nomen" Louis XII was signaling to the Pope and his generation that he intended to erode the Church's dominance of European politics. The coin was not only an economic tool but also a political statement, symbolizing the monarch's rebellion against the Papal authority and his desire to create French dominance in the region. The expression was an outward proclamation of contempt, suggesting that the French monarch regarded the Papacy as dangerous to his throne and was not afraid to reply to its influence.
This coin, thus, came to stand for the rise in animosity between secular princes and the Church throughout the period of the Renaissance. It was an echo of the broader mood of reform and resistance to the untrammelled power of the Papacy, felt increasingly around Europe. While Louis XII's active defiance of the Papacy in such symbolic gestures did not immediately challenge the power of the Church, it was part of the broader wave of discontent which ultimately culminated in the broader Reformation movement. The behavior of the French king highlighted the increasing aspiration of European monarchs to reduce papal control over their lands and assume influence in religious and political matters.
