INTERDICT, in ecclesiastical history, a spiritual weapon, by which the popes used in former times to reduce individuals or whole states to the most abject submis sion to their power. In the middle ages it was the most terrible blow which could be inflicted on the people or the prince. When an interdict was laid on a kingdom all spiritual services ceased ; the church es were shut up ; the sacraments were no longer administered ; no corpses were buried with funeral rites ; and all the ministry of the church which was then believed to be the only channel of salva tion was forbidden to be exercised. The first memorable occasion on which tbis method of warfare was adopted was the marriage of King Robert of France with Bertha his cousin, when Gregory V. in 998 issued interdicts against the whole country, and compelled the sovereign to dissolve his union. It had, however, been often used before by bishops ; an instance is quoted by Moreri as early as A.D. 870. The ban under which England was laid in the reign of John by Inno cent III. is well known in the history of that country The latest pretensions to the exercise of this power were as sumed by Pins VII., when he issued an in
efficient decree against Napoleon in 1809.
IN"fERIM, in modern European his tory, the name given to a decree of the Emperor Charles V., after the overthrow of the Protestant League of Smalcalde, in which he attempted to reduce to har mony the conflicting opinions of the Prot estants and Romanists. The use of the sap, however, and the marriage of the clergy, were the only points which he conceded to the Reformers ; and it be came a question among them, and gave rise to many serious disputes, whether they could conscientiously submit even to a temporary decree of such a nature. The enactments of the interim were intended only to remain in full force till some defin itive settlement could he made ; whence it derives the name by which it is gene rally known. It received the force of law at the Diet of Augsburgh, in 1548. Its provisions against the Protestants were however, in most respect.. set aside by the treaty of Passau, 1552. •