Primacy of the Spains facts for kids
The Primacy of the Spains is a special title for certain important bishops in the Iberian Peninsula (which includes modern-day Spain and Portugal). Historically, this region was known as Hispania or "the Spains."
This title means being the "primate" or the highest-ranking bishop in a region. For centuries, the Archbishop of Braga in Portugal has claimed this top spot for the whole Iberian Peninsula. However, today, their special rank is mostly recognized only within Portugal.
Meanwhile, the Archbishop of Toledo in Spain claims the Primacy of Spain, meaning they are the most important bishop over all other church areas in Spain. The Archbishop of Tarragona in Catalonia also uses a similar title. If these Archbishops become a cardinal, they are sometimes called Cardinal-Primates.
The Primacy of Braga
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The Archbishop of Braga claims the title of Primate of the Spains. They say this is because Braga is the oldest church area (diocese) on the Iberian Peninsula.
When the Kingdom of Portugal was formed, Braga was a very important religious center. It was the capital of the old Kingdom of the Suebi and the County of Portucale. Braga wanted to keep its power over other church areas like Coimbra and Zamora. Important bishops from Braga, like João Peculiar, even protested to the Pope about this. In 1218, Pope Honorius III did not fully settle the issue.
In 1364, Braga's bishop, João de Cardaillac, decided to use the title "Primate of the Spains." Later, during the Council of Trent in the 1500s, there were more arguments about who was more important. A papal decision then said that the date each bishop was appointed should be considered. This only affected their official order, not their actual power. In 1562, the Pope confirmed that Braga's traditional rights should be kept.
However, by the 1300s, the church areas in Galicia and Leon (parts of modern Spain) stopped recognizing the Archbishop of Braga as their leader.
Despite this, the Archbishop-Primate of Braga still ranks above all other archbishops in Portugal. The only exception is the Patriarch of Lisbon, whose position was created later in 1716.
The Primacy of Toledo
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Long ago, in the 3rd century, the Roman Empire divided Hispania into provinces. The city of Toletum (now Toledo) was in the province called Carthaginensis. Its capital was Carthago Nova (now Cartagena). The church areas (dioceses) in Hispania were set up based on these Roman provinces. So, the church in Toledo was originally under the authority of the church in Cartagena.
A problem arose in the mid-6th century. The Byzantine emperor Justinian took control of a large part of Hispania. This area included important church centers like Cartagena, Corduba, and others. Since the main church leader and provincial capital were now in Byzantine territory, the Visigoth king Gundemar decided to act.
Soon after becoming king, Gundemar held a special meeting of bishops (a synod) in Toledo. At this meeting, it was agreed that Toledo would become the main church center for the entire province. This took the title away from Cartagena. King Gundemar officially approved this decision on October 23, 610.
In 711, the Islamic invasion began, and Toledo came under Islamic rule for about 350 years. During this time, the Christian church in Toledo was tolerated but was seen with some suspicion by Christian kings and bishops in the north.
After the Reconquista (the Christian reconquest of Spain), Toledo was taken by the Kingdom of Castille. The alliance between the kings and the church became very strong. Soon after Alfonso VI conquered Toledo, the pope issued a special decree (a papal bull) in 1088 or 1089. This decree recognized the bishops of Toledo as "primates" and "metropolitans," just as they had been during the Visigothic era.
See also
Images for kids
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In Spanish: Primacía de la diócesis de Toledo para niños
