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Who was Guillaume de Nogaret?

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Boniface VIII
Boniface VIII Miniature of Pope Boniface VIII from Vaticinia de Pontificibus (an index of prophecies of the popes), c. 14th century; in the British Library, London.

Guillaume de Nogaret (c. 1260/70–1313) was a prominent French magistrate and legal advisor to King Philip IV the Fair. As a dedicated proponent of royal authority, he played a central role in the conflict between the French crown and Pope Boniface VIII.1

In 1303, Nogaret formally denounced Boniface VIII as a heretic and a simonist, demanding a general council to try him. Acting under the king's authorization, he led a mission to Italy and seized the pope at Anagni on September 7, 1303, just before the pope could issue a bull of excommunication against Philip IV. Although Nogaret was forced to abandon the pope two days later due to local opposition, his actions marked a significant escalation in the struggle between secular and ecclesiastical power.1

While Nogaret viewed his actions as a necessary effort to purify the church, he was subsequently excommunicated by Pope Benedict XI. He later served the French crown in the suppression of the Templars before receiving absolution.1