The Roman Catholic Church in the Middle Ages
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 400’s AD, and the breakup of
it’s lands into Feudal kingdoms, many people of Western Europe found themselves as
serfs, stuck alone on a Fiefdom in which they would work and fight for their knight and
vassal until they died. There was no movement of people or trade. Infrastructure was
limited to fiefdoms, and most places were behind walls for fear of attacks by barbarians
and all the kings and lords wanted more land. Life was very secluded and advancements
and cultural diffusion came almost to a standstill.
The only consistent thing all throughout Western Europe, was the Roman
Catholic Church. It’s bureaucratic infrastructure of Pope, Cardinals, Archbishops,
Bishops, Monks and Priests made sure that although the Roman Empire was gone, its
religion would not go away. With the new social, political and economic system of
Feudalism, the Roman Catholic Church grew into a government, not simply a religion.
The Roman Catholic Church had power over all Kings and Lords. If a King or a Lord
would not listen to them, they would throw them out of the church (excommunicate) and
divide up their lands.
The Roman Catholic Church often used “God’s will” (what God would want) to
make people do things. They sold things called indulgences in which a rich King, Lord
or Vassal could give the Roman Catholic Church a large sum of money or land in
exchange for forgiveness of sins and a place in heaven. The Roman Catholic Church
made many laws and rules during the Middle Ages, and people followed them because so
few people could read, they assumed that the rules were in the Bible and made by Jesus
and God - - not people.
Since so few people could read, pictures and relics became popular. Around 800
AD the cross became the symbol of the Roman Catholic Church. The people in charge
assumed that even though people could not read the Bible, pictures and statues could tell
the story. Also, the Roman Catholic Church started discovering “relics” like pieces of the
cross Jesus died on, pieces of Noah’s Arc etc. The Roman Catholic Church spread these
around Europe and convinced people that they had powers - - many people believed in
these relics and their powers and the Roman Catholic Church grew stronger and stronger.
Since the Roman Catholic Church was the only institution still widespread
throughout all of Europe, they also did some great things. They mended peace between
kingdoms, controlled the rich, gave hope to the poor and most importantly ran schools
and priests were often the most educated people in Western Europe.
1.) Why was the Roman Catholic Church the only widespread institution in Western Europe after the fall
of the Roman Empire?
2.) Why did the Roman Catholic Church have power over the rich and the poor?
3.) Why did people believe the laws of the church were the laws of God or Jesus?
4.) How did the church use relics? Why do you think pictures and relics worked so well to inspire the
people of Western Europe?
5.) How do you feel about the growth of the Roman Catholic Church during the Middle Ages? Do
you think that they were filling a necessary role, or just greedy?