European Middle Ages
The Authority of the Church
“There are two powers by which this world is chiefly ruled: the sacred authority of the priesthood and the authority of kings.” - Pope Gelasius I 500 AD
Throughout the Middle Ages, the Church and various European rulers competed for power.
■Structure of the church – Power based on ______
■Pope in ______headed the Church
–All clergy fell under his ______
■______supervised priests & settled ______over Church teachings and ______
■Priests
–______priests served as the main contact with the church
■The church was a ______force during an era of constant ______and political turmoil. It provided Christians with a sense of ______and of belonging to a religious community.
■Priests and other clergy administered the ______(example: baptism), or important religious ceremonies.
■At the local level, the village church was a ______force in the lives of most people.
■The Church’s authority was both ______and ______
■______= church law in matters such as marriage and religious practices
■Harshest punishments for offenders=______
■Popes used the threat of excommunication, or ______from the Church, to wield power over political rulers.
■If an excommunicated king continued to disobey the pope, the pope, in turn, could use an even more frightening weapon, the interdict…meaning many ______and religious services could ______be performed in the king’s lands …Christians believed they would go to ______
The Church and the Holy Roman Empire
The most effective ruler of medieval Germany was ______, known as ______. Otto, was crowned king in 936.
–He formed a close alliance with the ______
–Gained ______of the monasteries
–Used ______to defeat German princes
–______on pope’s behalf
■962, the pope ______by crowning him emperor of the ______
The Emperor Clashes with the Pope
■The Church was ______that kingshad ______l over clergy and their offices. It especially resented the practice of ______, a ceremony in which kings and nobles ______church officials.
■Whoever controlled lay investiture held the ______in naming bishops, who were very influential clergy that kings sought to ______.
■1075, Pope Gregory VII ______layinvestiture, which ______the German emperor, ______.
■______- by its terms, the Church alone could ______a bishop, but the emperor could ______the appointment.
Disorder in the Empire By 1152, the seven princes who elected the German king realized that Germany needed a ______to keep the peace.
■______– called his lands “Holy Roman Empire” but it was actually ______
■______personality & ______skills allowed him to ______the German princes, however, when he left the country, ______occurred
■Repeatedly invaded Italy; ______united against him; he ______the pope
■Battle of Legnano – Italian foot soldiers used ______to ______feudal knights for the first time in history
Disorder in the Empire – German states remain separate
■______to revive Charlemagne’s empire & alliance with the church
■______with Italian cities
■______with the pope
■System of German princes electing the king ______royal authority
Answer these Questions:
- What were some of the matters covered by cannon law?
- Explain how Christianity was a political and social unifying force in medieval Europe.
- Why did lay investiture cause a struggle between kings and popes?