The Jesuits were largely "kicked out" due to a complex interplay of political, economic, and religious tensions with European monarchies, particularly during the Age of Enlightenment. These expulsions often stemmed from a perceived threat to state authority, their significant wealth, and their independent global influence.
Key Reasons for the Jesuit Expulsions
The expulsion of the Jesuits, culminating in their worldwide suppression by the Pope, was not a singular event but a series of actions taken by various European powers.
1. Political Influence and State Sovereignty
Many European monarchs viewed the Society of Jesus as a direct challenge to their absolute authority.
- Conflict with Royal Power: Jesuits often maintained allegiance directly to the Pope, which conflicted with the growing desire of monarchs to assert full control over their national churches and territories. They were seen as a "state within a state."
- Opposition to Enlightenment Reforms: The Jesuits were often seen as staunch defenders of traditional Catholic doctrine and papal authority, frequently opposing the liberalizing and secularizing reforms championed by Enlightenment-era ministers.
2. Economic Power and Wealth
The Society of Jesus had accumulated substantial wealth and property through various means, including:
- Global Missionary Activities: Their missions, especially in South America (e.g., the Reductions in Paraguay), were highly successful economically, engaging in profitable ventures like agriculture and trade.
- Educational Institutions: The Jesuits ran numerous prestigious colleges and universities across Europe, attracting students from wealthy families and generating income.
- Perceived Competition: Their vast economic holdings and trading networks were sometimes viewed as competitors to state-controlled enterprises or private merchants, leading to resentment from powerful commercial interests.
3. Controversial Missionary Practices
Some of the Jesuits' missionary methods, particularly in Asia, drew criticism from within the Church and from rival religious orders.
- Accommodation Policy: In regions like China and India, Jesuits adopted a policy of "accommodation," integrating local customs and rituals into Christian practices (e.g., the Chinese Rites controversy and the Malabar Rites controversy). While intended to facilitate conversion, these practices were condemned by the Holy See and other Catholic orders as syncretism. This created internal church divisions and weakened their standing.
4. Specific National Tensions: The Portuguese Case
Portugal was the first major power to expel the Jesuits, setting a precedent for other nations.
- Long-standing Tensions with the Crown: There were deep-seated and prolonged conflicts between the Portuguese crown and the Jesuits.
- Role of the Marquis of Pombal: These tensions significantly escalated when Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, then the Count of Oeiras and later known as the Marquis of Pombal, became the powerful minister of state to King Joseph I. Pombal, an ardent proponent of enlightened absolutism, saw the Jesuits as an obstacle to his reforms and a threat to royal authority.
- The Távora Affair (1758): A failed assassination attempt on King Joseph I was blamed on the Jesuits, providing Pombal with a pretext to act. Though their involvement was never conclusively proven, it served as the immediate trigger.
- Expulsion in 1759: This culminated in the complete expulsion of the Jesuits from Portugal and its colonies in 1759, followed by the confiscation of their vast properties.
5. Expulsions from Other Bourbon Courts
Following Portugal's lead, other powerful Catholic monarchies, primarily those ruled by members of the Bourbon dynasty, also expelled the Jesuits.
| Country | Year of Expulsion | Monarch/Minister Responsible | Primary Reasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal | 1759 | King Joseph I (led by Marquis of Pombal) | Perceived threat to royal power, economic influence, alleged involvement in Távora affair. |
| France | 1764 | King Louis XV (influenced by Madame de Pompadour & Duke of Choiseul) | Financial scandal (bankruptcy of a Jesuit trading house), political opposition, perceived ultramontanism, Enlightenment influence. |
| Spain | 1767 | King Charles III (led by Count of Aranda) | Alleged involvement in popular riots (Esquilache Riots), economic power, political influence, resistance to royal reforms, fear of their wealth. |
| Naples | 1767 | King Ferdinand IV (Regent Bernardo Tanucci) | Close ties to Spain (Bourbon family pacts), resistance to state control, economic power. |
| Parma | 1768 | Duke Ferdinand I | Family ties to Bourbon monarchs, Papal opposition to Enlightenment reforms in Parma, leading to an open clash between Pope Clement XIII and the Bourbon powers. |
Papal Suppression
The coordinated pressure from these powerful Catholic monarchies eventually led Pope Clement XIV to issue the papal brief Dominus ac Redemptor in 1773, officially suppressing the Society of Jesus worldwide. This act was largely an attempt to appease the Bourbon courts and prevent further schism within the Church. Although suppressed, the order continued to exist in a limited capacity in some non-Catholic areas (like Russia and Prussia) and was eventually restored by Pope Pius VII in 1814.
