1309

1309 was a year in the 14th century notable mainly for a major shift in the governance of the Catholic Church. In that year, the papal court was moved from Rome to Avignon, establishing the period known as the Avignon Papacy. Pope Clement V, who reigned from 1305 to 1314, transferred the papal residence to Avignon under political and financial pressures linked to the French crown.

The Avignon period lasted from 1309 until 1377, during which the pope and much of the papal administration operated from Avignon rather than Rome. This relocation had a lasting impact on church governance and its relations with European monarchies, reinforcing a perception of greater French influence over papal policy and finances for several decades. The shift contributed to changes in administrative practices within the Church and affected the broader political dynamics of medieval Europe.

In a wider historical context, 1309 sits within ongoing medieval developments such as dynastic politics, ecclesiastical reform debates, and the gradual evolution of church-state relations. The events of 1309 are primarily remembered for the start of the Avignon Papacy, a defining feature of the era that influenced church diplomacy and power structures for much of the 14th century.