Christianity in theMiddle Ages

Terminology

The Church Christian Church and all its members in Western Europe

Pope Leader of the Church

Papacy Office of the Pope

Christendom Europe (area where the Church existed)

Clergy Church officials (e.g., priests, abbots, bishops, the pope)

Spiritual lords Clergy

Secular lords Emperors, kings, lords, vassals

Part ICharacteristics of Christianity in the

Middle Ages

MAs, The Age of Faith• Christians believed that God actively involved in

everything (superstitious)• Actively punished the Wicked, rewarded the Good• Life already tough in Europewanted to go to

heaven (salvation), terrified of hell• Church and clergy a necessity for

salvationSACRAMENTS• Church a unifying forceall Europeans had it in

common

Church and Feudalism• Pope claimed to be most powerful feudal lord• POPE GELASIUS I

– Secular leaders required to obey clergy in matters of faith

– Clergy required to obey secular leaders in matters of politics

– All things being equal, clergy has more power• And many clergymen (like Abbot Fulrad) were

lords with their own vassals and fief

An excerpt of letter from Pope Gelasius I to Byzantine Emperor Athanatius, written c.500 C.E.

“There are two powers, august Emperor, by which this world is chiefly ruled, namely, the sacred authority of the priests and the royal power. Of these that of the priests is the more weighty, since they have to render an account for even the kings of men in the divine judgment”

Canon Law• Church developed its own set of laws and courts, dealt with:

– Religious beliefs– Morality– Performance of religious rituals

• Powerful punishments for secular leaders who violated canon law:– EXCOMMUNICATIONKicked out of the Church (no

sacraments)– INTERDICTLord and everyone under him

excommunicated

Conclusion• Church and clergy controlled sacraments and

was unifying force• Church was a secular power,• Church used canon law to control secular

leaders,• THEREFORE, Church wielded enormous

amounts of power and authority during Middle Ages

Part IIThe Holy Roman Empire:

Conflict between Secular and Religious Leaders in the MAs

Church and Carolingians• Pepin the Short and Charlemagne understood

how much P&A church had• Established close relationship with it

– Carolingians protected Church and Pope in Italy– In return, Church taught Christians to obey

emperor– Helped emperors create stability and enforce laws– “Give unto Caesar that which is Caesar”

German HRE• After invasions of 9th and 10th Centuries, HRE

emerged as a real empire again• OTTONIAN DYNASTY established kingdom in

modern-day Germany• Considered themselves the heirs of

Charlemagne• A feudal empire

HRE, c. 1100

Lay Investiture• Church resented the power the Ottonian

Emperors had over clergy in the HRE• In particular, lay investiture

– Power of secular leaders to appoint clergy to important positions in the Church (e.g., bishop, abbot)

– Church believed it should make those decisions

Pope Gregory VII v. HRE Henry IV

• 1075Gregory VII outlawed lay investiture• Henry IV demanded pope step down• Gregory excommunicated Henry• German feudal lords side with . . . • Gregory (why?)• 1077Henry begs forgiveness (Canossa)• Henry returns to Empire to punish nobles• 1084Henry forces Gregory into exile

Concordat of Worms• In 1122 C.E.• Meeting of HRE, nobles and powerful

clergymen in city of Worms• Compromise

– Church selects church leaders– HRE has veto power

• Who’s happy?

HRE Frederick I• Ruled 1152-1190 C.E.• Greater warrior and leader• Fatal flaw

– Lured by the wealth of Italy (the few cities in Europe there—trade)– Left Germany in hands of feudal lords

• Result– In 1176, Pope and cities united against him (LOMBARD LEAGUE)

and defeated him at BATTLE OF LEGNANO– Simultaneously, German feudal lords revolted– Permanently crippled HREjust a collection of feudal states when

died 1190

Feudal states of HRE, c.1190

Conclusion• Church successfully challenged the power and

authority of secular leaders (like kings and emperors)

• Only as long as long as Europeans respected it as a legitimate source of power and authority (connection to God!)

3 Orders of the High Middle Ages

Those Who Fight5-10%

Those Who Pray5-10%

Those Who Work80-90%

Burghers?