Church Power in the Middle Ages

World History - Libertyville HS

Church Hierarchy

Pope

Cardinals / College of Cardinals

Bishops / Archbishops

Priests

Monks / Nuns

Church Authority

• Struggle for authority with noblemen– God created two

swords, the pope and the king

– Reality: Pope, kings conflicted over POWER (land)

“Age of Faith”

• Church is supreme authority in all matters religious

• ALL could achieve salvation

• Sacraments– Ways that the

church inserted itself into day to day events of life

Sacraments

• Baptism (birth of child)

• Confirmation (becoming adult in church’s eyes)

• Holy Orders (becoming a priest)

• Marriage vows (church affirmed marriage)

• Last rites (final blessing in life)

“Age of Faith”

• Village church was center of community life– Not just for Sundays– Only stone building

(fire safety)

Church Justice

• Canon Law– Legal system governing

sacred matters (noble vs. church = hear in church crt)

– Judges, etc all priests

• Excommunication– Officially kick someone

out of church– Pope used it to assert

authority over kings, nobles

– King / noble denied salvation AND ability to hold onto lands

Church Justice

• Interdiction– Sacraments denied

for lord and the people

– Major punishment– People who died

under interdiction didn’t go to heaven!

Holy Roman Empire

• What was it?– Creation of the church– Powerful symbol

linking past to present– Reflection of the power

of the Catholic church because the Pope crowned a king, emperor

• First HRE = Carolingian dynasty– Frankish settlers from

Rhine River Valley

Holy Roman Empire

• Important Kings of Carolingian Dynasty– Clovis (r/ 486-511 AD)

was the founder of the dynasty

– Charles “The Hammer” Martel (r. 719-741)• Great military leader

who defeated Muslims at Tours in 732 AD

• Pioneered use of heavy cavalry in Europe (the classic Knight)

Holy Roman Empire

• First HRE: Charlemagne (r. 768-814)– 6’4 when rest of Europe

averaged 5’8 (diet)– Great conqueror of

Europe• Controlled 2/3 of Italy, all

of France, some of Spain, all of Germany

– Financial basis of Charlemagne’s empire was trade• Franks, Muslims• Ironic, since Franks,

Muslims fought each other

Holy Roman Empire

• Charlemagne crowned Emperor by Pope on Christmas Day, 800– Attempted to protect

weak from the strong– Required bishops to

educate everyone with promise

– Sponsored the arts, literature

– When he died, his empire was quickly dismantled

– HRE title lay unclaimed for 40 years

HRE moves East• Otto the Great (r. 936-973)

crowned king of Germany, 936– Limited the powers of his

nobles– Invaded Italy for Pope– Rewarded with HRE title in

962– Otto demanded right of

“investiture• Power to appoint clergy• Put clergy under control of

Emperor!• Strengthened power of Emperor• Power to designate emperor

passed from Pope to Electors (nobles of Germany)