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the Holy See, and, calling Celestine the true pontiff, they
regarded Boniface as an impudent imposter. Celestine had
sought seclusion from the world on his withdrawal, but he
was refused the peace that he craved so humbly. Multitudes
sought him out, begging for his blessing, worshipping the
holy man who had been removed from office by the wicked
and designing Boniface. Celestine was a danger so long as
he remained at liberty, and Boniface had no hesitation in
seizing and imprisoning his predecessor. According to some
chroniclers, Boniface compelled his prisoner to spend his days
in a narrow and dismal cell, but other chroniclers affirm that
Celestine chose such a cell from humility. While there
is disagreement regarding Boniface's responsibility, most
chroniclers describe the ex-Pope's cell as so small that
Celestine could scarcely lie at length.
Even though a prisoner, Celestine was dangerous, and his
death in the spring of 1296 was a relief to Boniface. (There
is some suspicion that Boniface murdered his predecessor.)
The new Pope had lofty plans* He wanted to make every
country acknowledge his dominion over it and to be the single
and undisputed master of Christendom. The Emperor, the
kings, and the princes were to accept his decisions without
question $ he was to be the supreme tribunal in temporal as
well as spiritual affairs5 none was to dare to claim to judge
his actions. He commanded Sicily, which had never sub-
mitted itself to the house of Anjou, to give allegiance to
Charles's son, and when his decree was ignored, he promptly
put the Sicilians under interdict (though indeed that sentence
did not prevent Sicily from maintaining its rebellion).
Against the Colonna he embarked on a war of extermination.
That house had opposed his election and still declared that,
as Boniface had been chosen while Celestine still lived, the
election was invalid* Boniface meant to crush the Colonna
for ever. On the ground that they had taken sides with the
Sicilians, Boniface, not content with denouncing the surviving