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Chapter 13: The Early Middle
Ages
Section 5: Power of the Church
Religion in the Middle Ages
Popes as Political Figures
Christian Beliefs
• Pope is head of Roman Catholic
Church
• Manorialism, feudalism encouraged
local loyalties
• Early popes seen as spiritual leaders
• Christian beliefs brought people
across Europe together in spiritual
community of Christendom
• During Middle Ages, they became
powerful political figures
• Religion touched almost every aspect
of Christians’ lives
Religious Ceremonies
• Major life events marked by religious ceremonies
• Monks acted as peacemakers, prayed for safety of rulers, armies
• Church officials served as teachers, record keepers
• Clergy people’s main connection to church, had great influence
Dramatic Increase
• Around 1000, influence of church increased dramatically
• Great upwelling of piety, level of devotion, in Europe
• Members of Christian church became more devout
• Participation in religious services increased, thousands flocked to monasteries,
joined religious orders
Growth of Papal Power
Not only were Europe’s common people inspired by a new sense of piety, many
clergy members sought ways to improve conditions.
Papacy
• 900s, 1000s, pope had little authority
• Considered head of church, but local
bishops made most important
religious decisions
• Papacy not held in high regard
• Few popes noted for religious
devotion; most were nobles
concerned with increasing own
power
Church Reforms
• 1049, first of series of clever,
capable popes dedicated to
reforming papacy came to power,
Leo IX
• Believed that Europe’s clergy had
become corrupt, wanted to reform
it
• Concerned with simony, buying and
selling of church offices by bishops
Power and Conflict
Excommunication
• Bishops guilty of bad offenses excommunicated, cast out of church
• No greater punishment for Christians in Middle Ages
• Person excommunicated could not take part in Eucharist, could not be saved
Reforms
• Leo became more active in governing church than other popes in past
• Reforms brought him into conflict with political, religious leaders
• Many bishops believed pope had no authority to tell them how to act
Conflict
• One who rejected Leo’s authority, bishop of Constantinople
• 1054, Leo excommunicated bishop, split Christian Church in two
• Those who agreed Leo called Roman Catholics; those who sided with bishop,
Orthodox
Popes and Politics
Popes gained influence over people’s religious lives,
also over European politics
• Pope became head of huge network of ecclesiastical courts,
heard cases on religious, moral matters
• Pope also ruled territories, like Papal States
– Had ability to raise armies to defend territories
– Several popes hired Normans to fight wars
– Crusades against Muslims launched by popes
Conflict over Bishops
Although popes had increased their power, they still came into conflict with
political leaders. Popes of the late 1000s resolved to change the way members of
the clergy were chosen.
Tradition
• Kings, other leaders
played active role in
choosing clergy
• Kings chose most
bishops
• Holy Roman emperor
named several popes
Reform
Bishop of Milan
• Reform popes did not
think anyone but clergy
should choose religious
officials
• Henry IV, Holy Roman
emperor, chose new
bishop for city of Milan
• Issue became critical
during Pope Gregory
VII’s pontificate
• Gregory did not
approve, removed
bishop
• Henry disputed
Gregory’s authority
Gregory and Henry
Excommunication
• Gregory’s response was to
excommunicate Henry
• Called on clergy, nobility of Germany
to replace emperor
Canossa
• Fearing he would lose his throne,
Henry traveled to Canossa to beg
forgiveness
• Reluctantly, Gregory lifted
excommunication
Bishops
Power
• Gregory, Henry continued fighting over
bishops for years
• Most important outcome: Pope
Gregory stood up to emperor
• Later popes reached compromise:
local clergy would choose bishops
• The pope had become one of
strongest figures in Europe
Changes in Monasticism
Contemplation and Prayer
• Early Middle Ages, monasteries founded by men seeking lives of contemplation and
prayer
• Monasteries often paid for by local rulers, who chose abbots who led them
Benedictine Rule Abandoned
• By around 900, rulers had stopped choosing qualified abbots
• Many held positions only for prestige
• In these monasteries, strict Benedictine Rule abandoned
Return to Monasticism
• Early 900s, group of monks sought to return monasticism to strict roots
• Established new monastery at Cluny, France, to live by Benedictine Rule
• Monks of Cluny reserved right to choose own abbot
Network of Monasteries
• Cluny became most influential monastery in Europe
• Monks established daughter houses, leaders had to answer to Cluny abbot
• Other monasteries in France, Spain, Italy adopted Cluny’s customs, agreed to follow
direction of its abbots
• Cluny became core of network of monasteries across western Europe
New Orders
• For some monks, Benedictine life not
strict enough
• Monks wanted lives free from any
worldly distractions
• Created new orders, most popular of
which was Cistercian order
Cistercian Monasteries
• Usually built outside of towns to
ensure isolation
• Undecorated, unheated even in
winter; monks divided time between
prayer, labor
• Other new orders even stricter,
members lived like hermits
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