Quote Originally Posted by EatYerGreens

The reason it was the Genoese who got excommunicated was because the Pope attacked them. Making war with the Papacy means immediate excom (no warning stage) and this happens even if it's him who starts it!
I have to disagree - the Pope only excommunicates if he is attacked, even if it is a sally out of a fortification. However, I have been attacked by him many times, and unless I retaliated in some way, I have never been excommunicated - he would not allow me to crusade, but ne excommunication. I am 100% sure about this. What could have happened is that the Genoese might have attacked a Papal ship somewhere, and this is what got them excommunicated, even if they did not attack the Pope by land.