Pope Boniface VIII (born Benedetto Caetani, c. 1235 – October 11, 1303) was the 192nd Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, serving from 1294 to 1303. A member of the Italian Caetani noble family, he was known for his legal expertise and diplomatic skills. Boniface VIII is remembered for his fierce defense of papal authority against secular rulers, most notably King Philip IV of France. He issued the famous papal bull Unam Sanctam in 1302, declaring papal supremacy over all secular monarchs. His conflict with Philip IV over taxation rights led to his arrest and humiliation at Avignon in 1303, after which he died shortly thereafter. Boniface VIII is considered the last major representative of medieval papal temporal power.
