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The Church's Influence In Medieval Europe

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In Medieval Europe, the church played a critical role in shaping government and society. Most of the contemporary leaders were drawn from the church and contributed in championing the ideals of the church, leading to the papacy. During the papacy, the Pope of the Catholic Church assumed the position of the world leader, administering over the church flock and the non-Christian subjects. However, before the church rose to this eminent posit, its relationship with the government was tumultuous. Often, the people who professed the Christian faith were publicly persecuted. The ancient societies viewed the church with suspicion and suspected the church leader’s incitement and sedition (York Education, Internet). Based on the events leading to the …show more content…

However, as more people turned to the church for spiritual and moral guidance, the emperor lost touch with the people as the society understood that that the church had more to offer. The emperor’s influence began to wane as the church’s influence soared to greater heights. The disquiet within the ruling forces alerted the church to seek other mechanisms of survival as the emperor w seemingly turning hostile. In the ensued turn of events, the church sought alliance with other forces to protect it from the hostility of the emperor. In 496 A.D, the church made a remarkable step in protecting its interests. The church partnered with the powerful Franks due to the conversion of Clovis, a leading figure in the Eastern Rome Empire. The alliance was also important in safeguarding the interests of the church as the political climate in Europe turned hostile (Medieval Times, Internet). Due to the realigning political systems, the church was under constant threats of attack from the Germanic Lombards, the Magyars, and the Moorish raiders from North Africa. Couple with the growing tensions between the church and the local leadership, the church had nowhere to turn to. The decision to form an alliance with external forces guaranteed the local churches protection and a safe passage to the Christians in the event of …show more content…

In the advent of time, the church played a critical role in shaping the government administration. The church leaders anointed the rulers. In turn, the rulers influenced the assignment of some offices to the clergy. However, from the 10th century, the interaction between the church and the state took a different turn when the state felt that the rein of the papacy threatened its foundation. The state began undermining the church in a bid to wane its influence. The tension between the two entities continued to grow, with each side asserting its power over its followers. The tussles, coupled with the realignment of the political situation in England, the state and the church went separate ways. However, either entity retained a minimal say in the operations of the

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