The Papal States in the center of Italy were directly owned by the pope since Charlemagne. His grip became weaker however since king Philippe III of France forced him to take his seat in Avignon in 1303/09. Only in 1370, pope Clemens VII agreed after diplomatic pressure (and because the growing unrest in Italy endangered the Papal States) to return to Rome. But when the Rum-Seljuks first landed in Naples and later took all of it, the pope again fled to Avignon.