The Late Medieval Church

• Who is the head of the Catholic Church?

• What was the influence of the Church on medieval Europe?

• Why did the Church have such power over people?

The Church (post-1200)Pope

College of Cardinals and the Curia (bureaucracy)

Archbishops, bishops, priests

The Catholic Church: Height of Power• Between 1050—1300,

reached height of political, spiritual, and cultural influence

• filled the power vacuum left from the collapse of the classical world.

• Power struggle between the pope and Holy Roman Emperor over control of clergy

Pope Innocent III (r. 1198-1216)• 1200—most powerful ruler in

Europe• strengthened the church politically,

but weakened it spiritually– Influenced elections of regional princes

• Utilized the plentitude of power—the pope was more powerful than any bishop of the Church or political leader– Removed clergymen of possible

opposition

Characteristics of the Medieval Church

• Describe the qualities of the medieval Church• There will be a summary writing on the goals,

beliefs of its, superstition, and problems of the medieval Church of Europe

• As you watch the video, record your findings

• Based on the video, what is something that is revealing about the power of the Church.

Power of the Church

• provided schools for the children of the upper class.• the church controlled about 1/3 of the land in

Western Europe.

tithe 1/10 tax on your assets given to the church.

Peter’s Pence 1 penny per person [paid by the peasants].

Pope Urban IV (r. 1261-1264)

• Created the Rota Romana—law court for Church’s legal proceedings

• Increased clerical taxation of the people to help raise funds for the Church

• By early 1300s, the Church was more powerful than any secular leaders

The Church and Corruption• Curia—church court to increase church

revenue• Simony—the purchase of church offices• Pluralism—the holding of several offices w/o

the ability to do all job requirements• Clergyelaborate dress, benefices (gifts from

parish), secular politics, and sexual improprieties

• Anticlericalism—hostility towards clergy—not a popular view by most Christians

St. Francis of Assisi

• Worked to reform the Church of materialism

• Remained loyal to Church in hope of eliminating secular goals of Church in place of spiritual goals

Boniface VIII (r. 1294–1303) vs. Philip the Fair (r. 1285–1314)

• French & English kings raise taxes on clergy; Boniface decrees Clericis laicos—new taxes need papal consent

• French king Philip the Fair cuts off flow of money to Rome; Boniface concedes

• Boniface issues Unam Sanctam (1302), as confrontation with Philip ramps up, asserting subordination of temporal to spiritual power

• French army assault & molest Boniface, who later dies

• result: popes never again seriously threaten European rulers

Pope Boniface VIII (r. 1294–1303), depicted here, opposed the taxation of the clergy by the kings of France and England and issued one of the strongest declarations of papal authority over rulers, the bull Unam Sanctam. This statue is in the Museo Civico, Bologna, Italy.Statue of Pope Boniface VIII. Museo Civico, Bologna. Scala/Art Resource, NY

Avignon Papacy (1309–1377)• Pope Clement V (French)

moves papal court here to escape strife of Rome– “Babylonian Captivity”

• to get needed revenue, papal taxes go up, and sale of indulgences begins

• Seven popes will serve at Avignonall French

• England greatly opposed the Avignon Papacy due to unfair treatment of the English by the French popes

Practices of the Avignon Papacy

• P. 345-347• Read and describe the practices of Pope

Clement V and Clement VI that led to an unsavory and materialistic image of the papacy.

• Under Pope John XXII, what led to greater criticism of the Avignon Papacy.

• Evaluate the response of monarchies to the power of the Church (National Opposition)

Conciliar Movement

• Conciliar Theory: idea that a representative council of Church clergy should regulate actions of pope– Became popular due to the materialistic reigns of

the Avignon papacy– A council of the Church yielded more power than

the Pope

Marsilius of Padua (1270-1342)• P. 347• Explain the belief of Marsilius of

Padua in relation to power of pope/clergy.

• Why was his teaching condemned as heretical?

Marsilius of Padua (1270-1342)• wrote Defender of the

Peacechurch subordinate to state; should be governed by a general council

• Believed in autonomy of secular gov’ts

• Secular rulers had right to punish based on law, but not Pope based on spiritual law

• Reform of clerical practices

John Wycliffe (d. 1384)

• Criticized vices of clergy, papal infallibility, taxes by the pope, doctrine of transubstantiation, pope’s authority

• Lollards: followers of Wycliffe• English spokesman for rights

of royalty against popes

John Huss (d. 1415)• Czech priest; gained following in Bohemia• Rejected authority of pope• Hussites (similar to Lollards) • John Huss burned at the stake at Council of

Constance• Both groups considered “pre-Protestants”

A portrayal of John Huss as he was led to the stake at Constance. After his execution, his bones and ashes were scattered in the Rhine River to prevent his followers from claiming them as relics. This pen-and-ink drawing is from Ulrich von Richenthal’s Chronicle of the Council of Constance (ca. 1450).CORBIS/Bettmann

Great Schism (1378–1417)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IvkmsPh5G4&edufilter=scO_Mq_iPeSU9rbqR5CtTQ&safe=active

What is the economical impact of having a favorable pope to your country?

Great Schism (1378–1417)• Pope Gregory XI returned the papacy to Rome• After death, the cardinals elected Italian Urban VI as

new pope• Urban VI wanted reform of the papacy• French cardinals and King Charles V

disapproveddemanded the return of Pope to Avignon

• Sept. 1378—13 French Cardinals elected new Pope Clement VII

• Urban VI and Clement VII—rival popes; England & allies support Urban, France & allies support Clement

• Council of Pisa (1409–1410): cardinals elected Alexander V as new pope; deposed Urban & Clement (who refused to step down),– three contending popes

• Council of Constance (1414–1417): sacrosanctaMartin V elected new pope; provides for regular councils every few years

• Council of Basel (1431–1449): height of conciliar government of church

• Conciliar movement short-lived; by 1460 Pope Pius II regained complete control of the Church absent of councils

• End of Middle Ages, the STATE reigned over the CHURCH!!!