The Church in the

Middle AgesWorld History A

Forest Lake High SchoolMr. Koch

The Church in the Middle Ages

• The Pope/Church start to claim secular and spiritual authority– “papal supremacy”– Especially in west Europe

The Church in the Middle Ages

• Bishops– A lot of local control (official or not)

• Many corrupted or highly secular clergymen– Often an establishment for the wealthy

Meanwhile, in the East (Byzantine Empire…)

• Greek (or Eastern) Orthodox Christianity• Rejected papal authority

• Kept marriage for clergy

• Greek (not Latin) official language

• Easter – primary holy day

• Ban use of icons (later reversed)

• Rivalry develops between two churches

Holy Roman Empire• 962 AD

– Pope John XII crowns King Otto of Germany emperor

– Successors called “Holy Roman Emperor”

Pope Gregory VII (1073-1085)

• Tried to break Church’s ties to secular rulers

• Declared only Pope can appoint Bishops

• “lay investiture”

• Angered Holy Roman Emperor

Henry IV

• Gregory excommunicates Henry

• Henry asks for forgiveness – it’s granted

• Later forces Pope into exile

Pope Innocent III (took office 1198)

• Claimed supremacy over all other rulers– Won many conflicts with powerful rulers

Avignon Papacy• 1309-1377

– Papal court moved to Avignon (France) • Started by Clement V

– Reformers felt this papacy became too worldly

– 1378 papacy moved back to Rome– Dispute over election leads to

“antipopes” ruling from Avignon

– “Western schism” – 2 (sometimes 3) Popes ruling

Monasticism

• Many becoming monks/nuns during this time

Monasticism

• Benedictine Rule – regulates monastic life

1. Obedience (to Abbot/Abbotess)

2. Poverty

3. Chastity• Manual labor particularly important• Provided basic services in community

or traveled as missionaries• Would preserve/copy written works• Allowed women a stronger social

role

Monasticism

• Friars – traveling monks– Preach to the poor

• Francis of Assisi (Franciscan)

• Dominic (Dominican)