Unlike earlier popes, who recognised de facto independence of regional kingdoms but maintained their de jure dependence to the empire, Clement V argued that kings were both de facto and de jure independent. Thus, Oldradus de Ponte, an Italian jurist who since 1311 had served in the papal curia in Avignon, produced for Pope Clement two consilia, numbered 43 and 69 respectively, regarding the conflict between Henry and Robert. The first of Oldradus’ consilia was simply a tract on the dispute regarding due process, but the second argued for both the de jure and de facto independence of regional kingdoms, and denied both the popular and divine sources of imperial authority. In Consilium 69, Oldradus argued that the empire was territorially confined
