What did the papal bull Clericis laicos forbid?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

King Philip IV — Philip IV Philip IV, detail of the statue from his tomb, 14th century; in the abbey church at Saint-Denis, France.

The papal bull Clericis laicos, issued by Pope Boniface VIII in 1296, forbade the imposition of any taxes on the clergy by lay rulers without express license from the pope.12

This decree was a direct response to the increasing tendency of monarchs, particularly Philip IV of France and Edward I of England, to tax church wealth to finance their military conflicts. The bull stipulated that any violation of this prohibition would result in automatic excommunication.21