The Catholic Church during the Middle Ages

Aim: What power did the Catholic Church have during the Middle Ages?
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1. The Catholic Church became powerful in

Western Europe because ………………………………….

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2. What powers did the Catholic Church gain
during the early Middle Ages?

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Individual Read: Read & annotate for the following question: How did the Catholic church’s practices
impact citizens across Europe?

How the Church Dominated Life in the Middle Ages

Historyhit.com

After the fall of the Roman empire in the fifth century, the Church appeared as the new
dominant power of Europe. Like the Romans they had their capital in Rome and they had their
own emperor – the Pope.
The power of the Church lay in their perceived status as the gatekeepers to heaven. Cross them
in any way, shape or form and you could find yourself barred from the gates of paradise. This
could apply to anyone from the poorest peasant to the most powerful King.

Power to the people

For the average person the Church was an all-consuming presence. For starters every peasant
had to give up a portion of their weekly work to labour on church land for free. As if this wasn’t
enough they had to pay 10% of their earnings to the Church through a tax known as the tithe.
Since many peasants couldn’t lay their hands on much cash, this tithe was more often than not
paid in grain which was stored in vast barns known as tithe barns. Considering the subsistence
level at which most peasants operated, coming up with this tithe was a constant struggle. Even
so, they laboured to produce the good for the very simple reason that if you didn’t, you’d be cut
off from heaven.

Stairway to heaven
In the Middle Ages almost everyone believed strictly in the doctrine of the Church, which
meant they believed they were either going to heaven or hell when they died. The Church
turned this to their advantage, finding ways to charge people at every turn. As well as the tithes
you would have to pay to be baptised – if you weren’t baptised you couldn’t be buried on
Church land which in turn meant you’d be unable to pass through the gates of heaven. Perhaps
the most famous instance of medieval church profiteering was the sale of indulgences, papers
which declared absolution from sins even those not yet committed.

Power over the rich

For all the wealth they accumulated, the Church paid no taxes, which gave them economic
power surpassing even the wealth of some monarchs. Bishops and Clergy owed their allegiance
not to their King but to the Pope in Rome which led to more than a few conflicts over the years.
Even Kings and Queens were meant to subject themselves to papal authority and those who did
not risked attracting the wrath of the Church. For instance, the Pope took sides in the Norman
invasion, excommunicating English King Harold for supposedly going back on a holy pledge to
support William of Normandy’s claim to the throne.
How did the Catholic church’s practices impact citizens across Europe?
Read and annotate that document and then you will share out with a partner

Document A: What is Pope Gelasius I’s argument for why the Pope is superior to kings?
Gelasius I on Spiritual and Temporal Power
by Pope Gelasius I

Pope Gelasius I was the leader of the Catholic Church from 492 CE until his death in 496 CE. Pope
Gelasius I wrote a letter to Emperor Anastasius, the head of the Eastern Roman Empire, regarding the
superiority of the spiritual over the temporal, or worldly, power. The pope’s view of the natural superiority
of the spiritual over the temporal power finds a clear expression in the following letter.

Primary Source:
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. You are
also aware, dear son, that while you are permitted honorably to rule over human kind, yet in
things divine you bow your head humbly before the leaders of the clergy and await from their
hands the means of your salvation. In the reception and proper disposition of the heavenly
mysteries you recognize that you should be subordinate rather than superior to the religious
order, and that in these matters you depend on their judgment rather than wish to force them
to follow your will…

clergy: individuals who serve duties in the church

subordinate: lesser in rank, minor, inferior

Document B: What is Pope Innocent III’s attitudes towards Jewish people?

Letter on the Treatment of the Jewish People
by Pope Innocent III

Pope Innocent III (1160–1216) was the head of the Catholic Church from 1198 until his death in 1216.
Pope Innocent III’s direct involvement in European politics and influence on kings has led many scholars
to consider him one of the most influential popes. In this letter Pope Innocent III dictates the Roman
Catholic attitude towards the Jews.

We decree that no Christian shall use violence to compel the Jews to accept baptism. But if a
Jew, of his own accord, because of a change in his faith, shall have taken refuge with Christians,
after his wish has been made known, he may be made a Christian without any opposition. For
anyone who has not of his own will sought Christian baptism cannot have the true Christian
faith. No Christian shall do the Jews any personal injury, except in executing the judgments of a
judge, or deprive them of their possessions, or change the rights and privileges which they have
been accustomed to have. During the celebration of their festivals, no one shall disturb them by
beating them with clubs or by throwing stones at them. No one shall compel them to render
any services except those which they have been accustomed to render. And to prevent the
baseness and avarice of wicked men we forbid anyone to deface or damage their cemeteries or
to extort money from them by threatening to exhume the bodies of their dead....

Vocabulary
refuge: shelter, protection, asylum
avarice: greed
exhume: to dig up

Focus: How does it relate to the increasing power of the Catholic Church?

Document A: Pope’s
superiority over Kings

Document B: Treatment of
Jewish People
Based on the evidence from these documents, explain the power the Catholic Church had during
the Middle Ages
 Establish the geographic/historical context; when/ where is this lesson covering?
 Explain what the Catholic Church was and explain what type of power the Church had?
 Evidence from lesson to support your claim
 Analysis of the evidence (explain why the evidence you chose was important or impactful
 DO NOT USE “I”, “MY” OR “IN MY OPNION”
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