The bone of the contention: Cistercians, bishops and papal exemption. The case of the archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela (1150-1250)

The aim of this article is to investigate the relationships between the archbishops of Santiago de Compostela and the Cistercian monasteries of Sobrado, Monfero and Armenteira between the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, focusing on the problem of papal exemption, its differing degree in each monastery and its consequences for the archdiocesan structure. Through the analysis of monastic, archiepiscopal and papal sources, and with the support of the most recent scholarship, I show how it is impossible to apply preconceived models assuming the automatic concession of papal privileges, instead considering exemption as a reflection of the distinct relationships between monasteries, local ordinaries, and popes.