Hispana Canons

The lengthiest and most significant of several recensions of early conciliar and papal decisions. The material from sixty-six Eastern, African, French, and Spanish councils is arranged geographically-chronologically. The 103 papal decretals extend from the reigns of Damasus I (d.384) to Gregory I (d.604). Initially appearing in eighth-century Gaul, the collection was, according to questionable tradition, ascribed to Isidore of Seville* as compiler; hence its other name, Isidoriana. After the papacy of Alexander III (d.1181) it was recognized as the official body of Spanish canon law. It constitutes a major portion of the authentic material in the False Decretals.*