Medieval Conflicts of Church and States

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Medieval Conflicts of Church and States
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I. Early Middle Ages
-Constantine called Council of Nicaea (precedent
used later by political rulers for Caesaropapism,
Ruler above Church)
-After Gregory the Great (d. 604) papacy a
secular as well as religious leader in area near
Rome
-Shift from seeking aid from Eastern Emperor to
seeking military aid from local leaders
-Pepin, King of Franks and his son Charlemagne
-800 Charlemagne in Rome crowned Emperor by Pope
(Papacy interprets as Pope above Emperor)
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II. Church a unity of secular and spiritual.
Religion dominates individual lives
Secular Clergy---bishops, archbishops, pope.
-Wield power, collect taxes, build churches.
Church keep baptism records, death records,
houses travelers, cares for ill, does charity, as
well as providing sacraments for salvation.
Regular Clergy- monks
continued
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(Church a unity of Secular and Spiritual)
Educational leadership. Creates educational
institutionscathedral school, then universities.
3 graduate disciplines Theology, Medicine, Canon
Law.
Canon law for church in 1300 is more advanced
than individual state laws. States need to hire
churchmen to have literate civil servants. Even
courtly love written down by churchman, like Art
of Courtly Love, by Andreas Capellanus.
Pope Urban II in 1095 calls for Crusade to free
Holy Land from Muslim Turks. Rulers send knights.
Hospitallers and Templars fight as
military-monastic orders (precedent for Jesuits
against Protestants in 16th century) and Pope
Julius II as a pope leading an army (in film on
Michelangelo)
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III. Growth of feudal states leads to
conflicts between Rulers and Pope.
Conflict on selection, appointment and
investiture of bishops.9th-10th c. by secular
rulers. 11th c. Papacy opposes lay investiture.
A. Holy Roman Empire
Hildebrand (Pope Gregory VII) vs. Emperor Henry
IV in German lands
-Henrys council of bishops declare indep. from
Pope.
-Pope excommunicates Henry.
-1077 Henry penitent barefoot 3 days in Canossa,
Tuscany
-Pope grants Henry absolution
-Pope Calixtus II signs Concordat of Worms with
Emp. Henry V
-Emperor renounce role in investiture with ring
and staff (spiritual sword)
-Emperor present at clergy elections, and right
to invest clergy with secular responsibilities.
(secular sword)
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B. England
-King Henry II vs. Archbishop of Canterbury
Thomas à Becket
-Becket rose to post through service to the King,
changed to support church side after appointed.
-Henry wants churchmen tried in state courts,
punished by secular authorities.
-Thomas defends clerical immunity. Pope back
Thomas
-1170 Henrys men kill Becket in Cathedral of
Canterbury
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C. France
Pope Innocent III (d. 1216) defends papal
supremacy. Excommunicated King John of
England
Pope Boniface VIII 1302 declared Unam Sanctam,
supremacy of church over secular rulers.
Philip IV the Fair of France ordered men to
seize Pope. Boniface dies soon in 1303,
and Philip keeps church in Avignon.
1309-1377 Babylonian Captivity no pope in
Rome,
Papal palace in Avignon, center for humanist
scholarship, collects ancient manuscripts
1378-1417 Schism. French puppet popes
continue in Avignon, while another set of
popes in Rome.
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D. Popes build again control of papal states
while contending with power of church
councils.
1417 Martin V declared pope by Council of
Constance. Shows growth of power of
church councils. Now popes need to
battle with representative movement within church
1431 Council of Basil
1437 Council of Florence (attempts
reconciliation with Greek Orthodox
Church), commemorated in Gozzolis
fresco in Medici chapel.