Corruption In Rome

Corruption in Rome did not begin until the Late Republic. Rome could not keep up with its own success and growth. There was a lot of competition within the ladder of offices in Republican Rome which was also a significant source of the destruction of Rome. Only two consuls were elected each year causing intense and violent competition between candidates. The candidates were thirsty for power and would do whatever it took to be at the top. One consul, in particular, is that of Pompey.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, there was no main dominating force in Europe to enforce laws and protection for the people. The Middle Ages had begun and without the Romans, life became centered around survival. The destabilization caused rates of illiteracy, disease, and deaths to rise dramatically and to remedy the average peasants worry, the feudalism system flourished and required work in exchange for the safety of manors. Yet while there was not a overlooking empire to look towards for authority, the Catholic Church served its role to bring all classes together (Document 6). The Middle Ages will be ultimately known as an age of faith because of the prevalence of violence, power of religion, and the Catholic Church’s preservation of knowledge.

The Christian impact on feudalism is most notable when looking at the incorporation of religious figures as both lords and vassals. “Along with granting land to knights, lords gave land to the clergy for spiritual services or promises of allegiance. In addition, the church held its own lands, and bishops, archbishops, and abbots and abbesses of monasteries sometimes granted fiefs to their own knightly vassals” (UWS, 235). The ownership of land by the church shows how feudalism incorporates the Christian culture because by having religious leaders in charge of land, it encourages the spread of Christianity across Europe. When talking about the influence Christianity had on feudalism, it is important to incorporate the duties tasked to the members of the clergy. Throughout the middle ages, the primary task of the clergy was to preserve the works of the both the church and the Romans. The importance placed on the preservation of Classical and Christian works in a Germanic structured political system is the epitome of feudalism’s ability to assimilate

Within the Middle Ages, the church became the most influential and important force for the European society. As the central governments of Europe grew weak, the church rose in strength. In result came an ever lasting battle between the two. Popes were in control of spiritual matters, and the emperor or king were in charge of political affairs. During the Middle Ages, the line in between spiritual and political was clearly not bold enough.

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 (Cook 33). 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 leaders incitement and sedition (Rublack 37). Based on the events leading to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the emotions the event evoked, the Roman rulers were wary of another public incident that may sway the loyalty of the subjects. The history of the church and the Eastern and Western factions of Rome shaped modern day Europe political landscape. The interaction between the Empire and the Papacy in Medieval Europe shaped modern day governments by influencing the rise to power or decline of some.

Over the course of the next 1,000 years (the middle ages) many changes occurred, and numerous things remained constant. One of the changes included the increasing authority of the church. The church introduced schools/universities, care for the sick and poor, legal advice and community services. (Easton and Saldais, 2013) This meant they were more influential than the ruling king because it enhanced trust in the community and built key infrastructure for their community’s needs.

By The Middle Ages, one understands a relatively long historical period extending from the end of the Roman Empire to the 1500's. The conquest of The Roman Empire by Germanic tribes, and synthesis of Germanic and Roman ways of life formed the civilization which we call medieval (medieval-from Latin words; medium (middle) and aevum (age)). Medieval civilization was greatly influenced by the Muslims in Spain and The Middle East, and by Byzantine Empire and Christians in Southeast Europe.

During the time the Black Death swept Western Europe, questions of who’s authority was supreme to the land arouse. “Disaffection with the church, or the thought that it might be not be true or the only way to salvation, spread in all ranks of society. It was not only kings who disputed the claims of the clergy. Obscure parish priests, close to the distress of ordinary people, began to doubt the power of their ecclesiastical superiors” (p. 47 of “Disasters of the Fourteenth Century” Handout). Theologians across Europe set forth ideals for a church to hold councils to in order to constitute the ideals of the entire Christian population. “John of Paris in his (On Royal and Papal Power) agreed that a general council could depose the pope on the grounds that it

expense of the other religions. The Church's influence over the state also led to the large

He was young and incapable, and gave the papacy a bad name by acting sinfully. The people lost respect for the church, and could no longer view it as the ideal way of life. These views were altered in the High Middle Ages when the papacy became increasingly powerful in a prosperous time. The centralization of the church enabled Christianity to revitalize the spirit and faith of the Church. The church was organized by several reforming movements of the cluny, monastery, and papacy. Corruption was cleansed by new clerical laws, in addition to the canon law, that banned simony, clerical marriages, and immorality in the church. The succession of popes became more favorable because the expectations of the pope were heightened, as he was seen as a leader of faith having the grandest morals. Pope Gregory VII brought hope to the people by wanting to establish "right order in the world," and this stimulated people to regain faith in Christianity. Christianity influenced art, literature, and education. Art and architecture were ways to demonstrate Christian belief through divine cathedrals, paintings of biblical scenes, and portraits of popes. Charlemagne initiated the increase of literacy importance by instituting schooling in monastic communities. Changes in education during this time period were the foundation of cathedral schools, interests in ancient texts, and the education of the common people with the

When the Roman Empire fell the people were left in confusion and left the people in awe. Since they were left without any ruling, they had no idea what to do. Riots and fights broke out throughout Europe. Kings and queens had to tame the corruption. The feudal system had been created to keep order throughout the kingdoms. This order was suppose to keep the kingdoms from ever corrupting again.The feudal system was made to keep order but itself it was corrupted. Once born into a status that is in which you stay. The church itself was in had its own hierarchy, believing they had more power than the king. Had the sense of if not christianity, then no other religion. The time of change is really the time of power and deceiving.

The inclusion of the church in the system became a political reality. The unsettled conditions caused by the Viking and Magyar invasions forced church officials to enter into close relations with the only power able to offer them protection. Bishops and abbots thus became vassals, receiving fiefs for which they were obligated to provide the usual feudal services. The

By their conquests of the near and distant lands, the transformation of Rome from a great conqueror of civilizations to the greatest governor of peoples was quick and exact. And soon, their fame and wealth grew without its bounds.

The church was involved in politics, tax collecting, and even fighting wars. However, although, the Church had begun its reign over European civilization to keep order after the fall of the Roman empire the church eventually became corrupt and was more concerned with becoming wealthy rather than helping the people. The Church was allowed to do this because the Church has become everything to the people. After the fall of Rome, the Church was in charge of teaching, keeping the structure and assuring the people that the suffering was temporary and that once you die you were granted eternal life. The people liked what the Church had to offer in their time of need and distress.

Corruption in the church ranged from the papacy to the local priests. The Great Schism weakened the papacy, and councils fought each other. Monastic discipline and scholastic excellence declined into lax rigor. Local priests were uneducated and positions of leadership bought by nobility for illegitimate children (González, 7-8). Europe’s people were polarized between trusting the church as they had for centuries and mourning their growing lack of trust as the church’s immorality spread.