Middle Ages
Ch 13-14
Section 1
Break up of Western Roman Empire
• For hundreds of years, Europe is in shambles.
• Barbarian groups invade and take over Europe
– Franks, Visigoths, Ostrogoths
– Bring new customs and political patterns
• Age of Transition
– 400s to 1500 CE called the Middle Ages
– End of the Classical Period
– Beginning of the Modern World
Theodoric’s Ostrogothic Kingdom (East Goths) in 526 CE and
Allied States: Vandals, Franks, Visigoths (West Goths)
Franks
Byzantines
Ostrogoths
Visigoths
Vandals
4
The Franks
• Leave the most lasting impact in European History
– Loosely organized Germanic tribes
• Clovis = King of one of the Frankish tribes, 481 CE
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Starts line of Merovingian leaders
Able military leader
Conquered and absorbed other Frankish tribes
Controlled all of northern Gaul
Christian, received support from the church
Also began to seize and rule southwestern Gaul
• France
– When he died, kingdom split between his sons
• Kings that came afterwards were weak.
The Franks
• “Mayor of the Palace” becomes real ruler over each
kingdom, chief of royal household
• Pepin II – Ruled from 687 to 714 CE
– Him and successors united all Frankish Kingdoms.
• Charles “the Hammer” Martel, 714 - 741CE
– Defeated Spanish Moors
– Halted Muslim advance in western Europe
• But Muslim raids cont’d
– Son Pepin III (the Short)
• Co-rules after Charles death with brother Carolman
The Franks
• Pepin the Short overthrows last Merovingian ruler
– Claims Frankish throne for himself
– 751 CE - Anointed king of the Franks
• Starts Carolingian rule of Frankish leaders
– Receives Pope’s confirmation
• Strengthens legitimacy of dynasty
• Pope’s blessing comes from God.
– Continues throughout history
– Obligation to the Church?
– Pope asks for help with Lombards
• Pepin defeats them, wins territory around Rome
• Donation of Pepin = Creates Papal States
Charlemagne’s Empire
• Charlemagne took over throne with
Pepin the Shorts death
– Ruled from 768 – 814 CE
– Worked to build a “new Rome”
• Devout Christian
– Spreads Christian teachings
• Brought civilization, order and learning to
Europe
• Spent much of his life at war
– Tried to conquer all of Muslim Spain (Moors)
• Failed, but forced them back across the
Pyrenees
• Gained small strip of territory – “Spanish
March”
• Creates a buffer zone between Muslims and
Christians
Charlemagne’s Empire
• Pope Leo declared him “Emperor of the Romans”
– Christmas Day, 800CE
– Title indicates his importance to western Europe
• United much of western Europe
– first time in 400 years
• Coronation shows close ties between Franks and Christian church
• Was conscious of his position
•Aimed to live up to image of a
Roman emperor
•Skilled as a warrior
•Devotion to Christianity
Charlemagne’s Empire
• Government
– Empire divided into Regions
– Governed by a Count – on Emperors behalf
– Used “oaths of fidelity”
• To ensure the Counts and other Carolingians officials
ruled effectively
– Appointed officials who help run his empire
• Called “missi dominici “ or “the Lords messengers”
• Travel empire to hear complaints and investigate official
misconduct
• Determine the effectiveness of laws
• Direct representatives of Charlemagne
– Power to make decisions
Charlemagne’s Empire
• Education
– He was not formally educated
– But placed great value on education
– Started school at palace for his children &
young nobles
• Studied grammar, rhetoric, logic, math,
music, astronomy
• Based on Roman model
– Brought scholars together to produce a
readable bible
– Ordered bishops to create libraries
– Could read, but not write.
– Encouraged/Forced people to convert to
Christianity
Decline of the Frankish Empire
• Empire did not survive
Charlemagne’s death in 814
• Louis the Pious, Charlemagne’s
son rules after death
– Well educated, religious, but weak and
short sided
– Died in 840 CE
• Empire divided between Louis’s sons
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Lothair (Middle),
Charles the Bald (Western), and
Louis the German (Eastern)
Treaty became known as the Treaty of
Verdun-843 CE
– Fought amongst themselves, empire
collasped.
Decline of the Frankish Empire
• By mid 800’s it began to divide and collapse
– Charlemagne's successors fought amongst themselves
– By 870 the middle kingdom divided between eastern and
western kingdom
– Invasions of different people hindered the empire
• Muslims from Africa invaded the Mediterranean coast
• Slavs from the east raided central Europe
• Nomadic Magyars settled in what is now Hungary
– Terrorized Europe for about 50 years
• Vikings from Scandinavia
• No longer a large scale government
• By 900’s most of Europe was governed by small,
local, independent leaders, or local lords.
• This is known as Feudalism
Rise of the Franks
– With Papal support Charlemagne inherited Frankish
throne
– The Papal States were created.
– Pépin III was crowned; Carolingian rule began.
– Charles Martel defeated the Spanish Moors
– Pépin II and his successors united the Frankish
kingdoms.
– Franks seized and ruled southwestern Gaul (now France)
– Clovis became ruler of Frankish tribes
The feudal system of government operated by
means of allegiances and mutual protection.
Pope
Pope
King
King
Lords
Lords
Vassals
Vassals
Freemen
Freemen
Serfs
Serfs
Section 2
Feudalism
• Lord = Powerful noble
Pope
King
Lords
• This grant of land is called a Fief
– Lord still owned the land
Vassals
Freemen
• Noble
Serfs
– Person receiving a Fief is called a Vassal
– Promised loyalty, military service and other services to the lord
– Granted land to a lesser noble to use
• Freemen
– Worked land for part of the harvest – Tenant farmers
– Could also be merchants, tradesmen and craftsmen
• Serfs
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Were tied to the land, could not leave with out nobles permission
Peasant laborers
Could not be sold, were not slaves
Could be drafted for military service
Could own property
Feudalism
• Vassal (or noble)
– could further divide the land and grant it to others
• Which would also make them a lord
• Such as Knights
• Fief
– Could be hereditary
• Passed to first born son
• Inheritance is called Primogeniture
Feudalism
• Women’s rights
– regarding property were limited
– Might have fiefs in her dowry
• they became her husbands after marriage
– Only gained control if husband died
• Lord’s powers
– Held powers associated with government
– Kings were bound to customs & obligations of feudalism
• The church
– Owned land that could be granted as a fief
– In return for military protection
Warfare
• Wars common during the Middle Ages
– Could be private fights between lords and vassals
– Could be a regional conflict
• Knights wore armor in battle
– Made of chain mail
– Iron helmet, sword, large shield, and lance
– Very heavy --- often had to be hauled onto their horses
– Horses were big --- resemble Clydesdales today
Warfare
• Wars were an opportunity for glory for nobles
• For the rest war was a cause of pain and suffering
• Church tried to limit the wars by issuing decrees
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prohibiting acts of violence and private warfare
Violence against cattle, agricultural equipment
Violence against clergy, women, merchants and pilgrims
Forbade fighting on weekends and holy days
• If not met, church would threaten punishment
– Wars continued until the position of a king became powerful
enough to stop them
Feudal Justice
• Feudal justice different from Roman justice
• Feudal trial was decided in one of 3 ways
– Trial by battle
• Duel between accuser and accused
– Compurgation --- Oath taking
• Supported by people who swore that the person they
represented was telling the truth – Character witnesses
– Trial by ordeal
• Accused had to carry a piece of hot iron, plunge his hand
in a pot of boiling water, or survive extended immersion in
cold water
• If wounds healed quickly and well --- innocent
– Outcome determined guilt or innocence
The Manorial System
•
Manorialism --– Shaped economic system of the Middle Ages
– Large farming estates
– Included manor houses, cultivated lands, woodlands, pastures, fields
and villages
– Self sufficient
• Produced own food, clothing, and shelter
– Some goods still needed to be purchased
• Iron, salt, wool, wine and manufactured goods.
•
The lord and several peasant families shared the land of the
manor
– Lord - 1/3 of the land – Called his domain
– Peasants - remaining 2/3
• Gave the lord some of their crops, and farmed the Lords land
• Provided other services and paid many different taxes
•
Ideally
– Manor was located along a stream or river
• Water power - Village mill
– Houses clustered near center of Manor for safety
• Surrounded by vegetable plots, pastures and forests
– Crop rotation – Grain
• 3 fields, use only 2 at any one time
• Fields divided into strips
Peasant Life
• Difficult - Long hours, backbreaking work
• Serfs
– Could not leave the land without the lords permission
– Foods
• Black beans, lentils, and some vegetables
• Rarely could afford meat, needed livestock to
work land
• Life expectancy - very short
– Disease, starvation, and frequent warfare
Nobles’ Lifestyles
• Did not live in luxury or comfort
• Many lived in castles
– Simple structures made of earth and wood
• Only later were they made of stone
– Built on hills or easily defendable areas
– Many were surrounded by a moat
• Used drawbridges to enter
– Thick walls, tiny windows with no glass
• Rooms were dark and chilly
• Marriage
– Viewed as a way to advance one’s fortune
• Could acquire land through marriage
• Fathers provide a dowry for daughters – encourage marriage
• Peasant children – Farm labor
Steps to become a Knight
•Training began at age 6 or 7
•Son of a noble would become a page.
•The page was a household servant.
•Taught manners and customs.
•Learn how to care for weapons
•At age 14
•would become a squire.
•personal assistant to a knight.
•Take care of Knights horse, armor, weapons
•Once the squire proved to be skilled and
courageous in battle could be knighted.
•Becoming a knight required an oath of chivalry.
•Knights swore: allegiance, chastity,
protection of other Christians, and respect
for the law
Knighthood
• Code of Chivalry
– Expected to be courageous in battle
• Fight fairly
• If he used tricks he was considered a coward
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Expected to be loyal to friends
Keep his word
Required to treat conquered foes gallantly
Expected to be courteous to women and the less powerful
• Chivalry did much to improve crude manner of feudal lords
– But still not perfect by modern standards
• Knights were required to extend courtesy only to people of his own
class
– Towards others his actions could be bullying, and arrogant
Knighthood
• Knights fought in full armor
– Distinguished from one another by a
Coat of Arms
– Graphical symbol that identified him
– Contained his personal characteristics
– Painted or stitched onto the knights
shield
– Passed down from one generation to
the next
Section 3
The Church Hierarchy
• The church had broad political powers
– Europe’s central government was weak, if exist at
all
– Church filled the need for leadership
• One of the only institutions who presence was
felt all throughout Europe
– Across all political and social levels
• Great economic force
– Leading landowners, Feudal lords
• Clergy members
– organized according to a strict hierarchy of rank
– Each rank had different responsibilities and powers
Parish Priest
• The Parish
– smallest division within the church
• Parish Priest
– Directly serves the people in his parish
– Religious instruction
– Responsible for the moral and spiritual well
being
– One of the Churches most important officers
– Administered five of the seven sacraments
• Baptism, Holy communion, Penance, Matrimony
and Anointing of the sick and dying
The Bishop
• Bishop
– Manages a group of parishes
• Called a Diocese
– Cathedral is the Bishops official
church
– The king or powerful nobles
usually controlled the selection
of bishops
– Many were feudal lords or
vassals
– Preformed the other two
sacraments
• Confirmation, taking of holy
orders
Church Leadership
• Archdiocese
– A group of dioceses
– managed by an Archbishop
• Archbishop
– has all the powers and responsibilities of a bishop
– Has authority over the bishops of the archdiocese
• Pope
– Supreme authority in the church
– Advised by the Curia
• Group of counselors drawn from the highest ranks of
the clergy
• Most important and powerful members were
Cardinals
• Advised the Pope on legal and spiritual matters
• In the 1100’s and on only cardinals elect the pope
Church Hierarchy
Pope
Cardinals
Archbishops
Bishops
Parish Priests
Monasticism
• Medieval church had two types of clergy
• Secular Clergy
– Priests, bishops, and the Pope
– Secular meaning of the present world
• Regular Clergy
– Male Monks
– Lived in accordance with strict rules
– Female nuns also followed strict rules
• But not considered part of the clergy, only men
Monastic Lifestyles
• Monks and Nuns
– Believed they had to withdraw from the world and its temptations
– Served God through fasting, prayer and self denial
• Early practices
– Monks lived alone
– Practiced their devotion to god in many ways
• Inflicted extreme physical suffering on themselves
• Eventually gave up on being hermits
– Formed religious communities
– Called Monasteries (Monks) and Convents (Nuns)
• Monasticism
– The way of life in convents and monasteries
The Benedictine Rule
• St. Benedict
– Became disgusted with the worldly
corruption he witnessed
– Left Rome to worship god as a hermit
– His reputation for holiness spread
• Attracted many followers
– Established a monastery at Monte
Cassino
• In the mountains of central Italy
– Referred to as Saint Benedict
– Created rules to govern monks’ lives
• Adopted by Monasteries and
Convents all over Europe
• Called Benedictine Rule
The Benedictine Rule
• Benedictine Rule was fairly strict
– Everything belonged to their community
– No individual ownership
• The Abbot
– Elected head of the community
– Controlled and distributed all property
• The Abbess
– Served similar role for women in convents
• Spent many hours in prayer, rest of day doing chores
The Spread of Monastic Influence
• Took care of the needy
• Over time many monasteries became rich*
– Pious nobles gave money/land in return for spiritual
favor
– Convents also received gifts, but did not get as
wealthy
• Some monks left the monasteries to become
missionaries
– St. Patrick
• Brought Christianity to Ireland in 432
– St. Augustine
• Lead a group of monks to England
• Became Archbishop of Canterbury
• Canterbury became center of the Christian Church in
England
The Church and Medieval Life
• The Church played a major role in everyday life
– Political, economic and social
• Political Role
– In the Papal States the Pope was both political and religious leader
– Some claimed power of monarchs
– Many church leaders were Feudal Lords and advisors to kings
• Canon Law
– Church law code and system of courts
– Members of the clergy could be tried and the court would rule
accordingly
– Could be Excommunicated
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Cut off from the church,
could not receive the sacraments or
be buried in sacred ground
Was greatly feared, in essence removed them from society
The Church and Medieval Life
• Canon Law Continued
• Interdict
• Closing an entire region of churches
• Clergy would be forbidden to perform marriages,
burials, and sacraments
• Members at risk of eternal punishment
• Used to turn people against rulers who opposed church
powers and policies
– The church did not allow anyone to question the
basic principles of the Christian religion
– People who denied the truth of the church’s
principle or preached beliefs not approved by the
church
– Called Heretics – unbelievers who deserved eternal
damnation
The Church and Medieval Life
• Political Role continued
– Church had the power to tax
– Tithe
• 1/10 of a persons income
– The church received a large income from
its own lands
• 1200’s the church was at the height of its
power
• Wealthiest institution in Europe
Economic and Social Role
• Church did not approve of people gaining wealth at the
expense of others
• Thought people who labored should be regarded with
dignity and respect
• Considered the Family a sacred institution
– Did not allow divorce
• Clergy was involved in social work
– Took care of the poor and needy
– Even established hospitals
Problems of the Church
•
Problems caused because of the Churches wealth and influence
• Lay Investiture
– A noble (King) appointing a friend or relative to be a bishop or abbot
– Church felt only members of clergy could make appointments
• Simony
– The buying of high positions within the church hierarchy
– Thought to provide wealth from church income or fees for services
– Came under criticism from within and outside the church
•
Many tried to bring about church reform
– St. Francis of Assisi
• Founded the Order of Franciscans 1209
– St. Dominic
• Founded the Order of the Dominicans 1216
– Members of these orders called Friars
• Preached and lived among the people
Problems of the Church
• In mid-1200’s the church attempted to reform
itself
– Church ordered the Dominicans to seek out
heretics
– To stamp out teachings that opposed church
doctrine
• Inquisition
– The search for heretics
– Those who confessed were forced to perform
penance
– Those who did not were turned over to the
government for punishment or execution
• Burning at the stake
• Church believed this necessary to stop the heresy
Section 4
Struggle for Power in England
• Anglo-Saxon and Norman England
– Before the1000’s – Kings and lords struggled for power
• Anglo-Saxon England
– By 450 Roman rule in Britain ended
– Germanic tribes moved in
• First as raiders, then as settlers
– Culture that emerged from Germanic settlement called “Anglo-Saxon”
• In reference to the two tribes
– Over time they formed several independent kingdoms
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Northumbria – Northern England
Mercia – Central England
Wessex – Southern England
These kingdoms were divided into districts called Shires
Governed by shire-reeve which becomes the word Sheriff
Alfred the Great
• By the 800’s the Kings of Wessex controlled
almost all of England
• Vikings (Danes) challenged the rule of
Wessex kings
– Over ran much of England
• Alfred the Great - 871 CE
– Came to throne of Wessex
– Tried to drive the Danes from the island
– Made a temporary peace after being defeated
by them
– Spent 5 years building a powerful army and
navy
– 876 - Attacked the Danes
– 886 - Danes surrendered
• Treaty allowed Danes to live and govern
themselves in Mercia and Northumbria
Danish Rule
• Alfred’s successors were able to win more lands from the Danes
– During the 900’s
– Unified the country
– Strengthened the government
– Spread Christianity
• Danes began to attack again
– By 1013 Danes again controlled the entire country
• 1016
– King Canute of Denmark took the throne of England
• Also most of Scandinavia in a combined kingdom
– Canute was a wise ruler – but sons were weak rulers
• By 1042 Danish line had died out
– Anglo Saxon nobles chose Edward the Confessor as new king
The Norman Conquest
• Edward died without leaving an heir in 1066
– Duke William of Normandy
• From France
– A distant relative - claimed the throne
– Anglo-Saxons refused to recognize his claim
– Selected Harold of Wessex to be king
• Edwards brother-in-law
• William was determined to win the throne
– Crossed the English Channel with group of knights
– Defeated Harold’s army
• Crowned William I King of England
– Known as William the Conqueror
The Conqueror and his Successors
• William the Conqueror ruled from 1066–
1087
– Brought feudalism from France to
England
– Modified feudal system so the king not
nobles held supreme authority
– Each feudal lord had to swear personal
loyalty to king
• So all English lords were Vassals of
the king
– Stopped the lords from uniting against
him
• Scattered their fiefs throughout
England
• Laid strong foundation for centralized
government and a strong monarchy
The Conqueror and his Successors
• Sent royal commissioners to every
English shire
– Count each shire’s people
– Assess landholdings
– Measure type and value of property
– Results used to created a central tax
system
• Records that were gathered became
known as the Doomsday Book
Reforms under William’s Successors
• Henry I – Ruled from 1100 1135
– Williams son, Able ruler
– Set up the new department of the
Exchequer
• To handle kings finances
• Made central government more
efficient
– Sent traveling judges throughout
the country to try cases
• Weakened feudal lords
• Kings royal court, not the lords
feudal courts dispensed justice
Henry II
• Henry II ruled from 1154 – 1189
– Continues to increase royal authority
– Vassals could pay the king a fee
instead of performing military service
• Used the money to hire mercenaries
or soldiers
• Military loyal to him not the nobles
– England’s legal system grew
• Traveling judges established routes
or circuits
• Used a 12 member jury system
– Replaced trial by ordeal or combat
– Decided civil as well as criminal
cases
Henry II
• Sought to try members of the clergy who
had already been judged in church courts
– To decrease the influence of church courts
• Thomas Becket - Archbishop of Canterbury
– Refused to allow his clergy to be tried
– Becket and Henry became bitter enemies
• 4 of the king’s knights murdered the archbishop
in his cathedral, to help the king
• Henry denied any part of the murder, but did
penance to appease the church
– Henry decides to leave the church alone
Henry II
• The Last years of his reign were trouble
– Sons plotted against him
– Marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine was stormy
– She brought into their marriage a lot of French
lands which ended up causing conflicts with
the French
• Overall Henry strengthened the English
monarchy, reduced influence of the
nobility.
King John and Magna Carta
• King John
– Henry II’s son
• Demanded nobles pay more taxes
– To support wars with France
– His actions led nobles to revolt
– In 1215 group of nobles joined
together against the king
• Threatened armed revolt against
him
• Forced John to accept a
document known as the Magna
Carta
Magna Carta and beyond
•
Magna Carta
– Protected the liberties of the nobles
– Provided a limited outline of rights for England’s
ordinary people
– King John agreed no new or special taxes without
consent of the Great Council
• A body of nobles and church leaders who
advised the king
– Promised not to take property with out paying for it
– Promised not to interfere with justice of the courts
– Agreed to trials by jury of peers
– Importance: King is not above the law
•
Two other major changes took place following the
Magna Carta
– Growth of Parliament – Beginning of Representative
government
– Growth of Common Law – laws based on customs
and judges decisions rather than law written law
codes
Parliament
• 1260’s - Nobles revolt against King Henry III
– Threatened the Monarchy
– Revolt was led by Simon de Montfort (Lord)
– Tried to build middle class support for the nobles
• To unite against the king
– The Great Council – Nobles and Clergy
• Middle class representatives
– As this practiced continues - becomes the English
Parliament
– Parliament was divided into 2 parts called “houses”
» Nobles and clergy - House of Lords
» Knights and burgesses - House of Commons
• Advised the king
– But could refuse taxes (important)
Common Law
• Edward I - ruled from 1272 – 1307
– One of England’s greatest monarchs
– Divided the king’s court into 3 branches
• Court of Exchequer
– Keep track of the kingdom’s financial accounts
– Tried tax cases
• Court of Common Pleas
– Heard cases between ordinary citizens
• Court of the King’s Bench
– Conducted trials that concerned the king or government
• Decisions made by royal courts were collected and used
as the basis from future court verdicts
– Known as Common Law
– Applied equally to all citizens
– Living Law, not based on code, but on times.
Rise of Capetian Kings
• France
– Last of the Frankish/Carolingian kings die.
– Nobles choose Hugh Capet as King of France
– Will work to create a strong central government
• Create Estates General
– Representative body of the three social classes
– Commoners, nobility, and clergy
– Not successful, no support at local levels
• France remains mainly feudal
The Holy Roman Empire
• After Charlemagne’s death his
empire slowly fell apart
• Several of Charlemagne’s
descendants in Germany inherited
the title of Holy Roman Emperor
– However they did not really rule Italy
– Part ruled by the Pope
– Part ruled by the Arab Muslims
Holy Roman Empire
• Germany
– Feudal lords elected Otto I - 936
• Known as Otto the Great
• Worked to developed a strong kingdom in
Germany
• In 951 Otto attacks territory in northern Italy
• Later Pope John XII struggled with Roman nobles
– Begged Otto for help
– Pope rewarded Otto by crowing him ‘Emperor
of the Romans’ in 962
» Same title given to Charlemagne
• Otto rules Germany and northern Italy
• Germany starts to become a major power
Holy Roman Empire
• Henry III - 1046 – 1056
– Viewed the church as a
branch of the imperial
government
– Expected the church to
actively support the empire
and its ruler
– 3 different men claimed the
papacy during his rule
– Removed them from office
and elected a German pope
• Also chose next three popes
Struggles - Papacy vs. European Rulers
• Henry III dies
– 5 yr old son Henry IV now king
– German nobility sees this as an
opportunity to regain their independence
– The church also moves to restore its
power
– At age 15, he tries to strengthen his rule
• Pits him against Pope Gregory VII
– one of the most powerful popes in the Middle
Ages
• Clash between church and state
Pope Gregory VII
• Pope Gregory was a strong &
able leader
– Worked to bring spiritual reform
– Increased the power and
authority of the papacy
• Believed the church was the
supreme spiritual and
temporal power in the earth
• Thought had control over
rulers and people
– Didn’t hesitate to use
Excommunication to resolve
conflicts
Pope Gregory and Henry IV
• Main Conflict involved lay investiture
– Appointment of bishops by temporal rulers
• Henry believed he had the right to appoint
bishops
• Gregory opposed this
–In reaction he excommunicated Henry
–Also released Henry’s subject from
their vows of loyalty
–Urged nobles to elect another king
Imperial Submission
• Fearing rebellion Henry sought the pope’s
mercy
– Traveled to meet the pope
– Met in the mountains of northern Italy
• Bitter cold, icy mountain paths
– Pope made Henry wait 3 days to see him
– Henry pleaded for the pope’s mercy
• Pope revoked his excommunication
Imperial Submission
• Struggle continued over lay investiture
• Finally representatives for both sides meet
– Agreement reached called Concordat of Worms
• Named after city they met in
• Limited imperial power of the German church
• Emperor could appoint bishops to fiefs (land
grant)
• Only the pope had power to name bishops
• Recognized the spiritual leadership of the
pope
Frederick Barbarossa
• Frederick I (Frederick of the Red Beard)
– Ruled Germany from 1152-1190
– Set out to capture Lombard states in
northern Italy
• Captured Milan
– Destroyed city and drove out the people
• Other city states refused Fredericks
demands
– With the help of the pope they united
to form the Lombard League
– Raised a powerful army – defeated
Fredrick
Innocent III
•
•
•
•
1198 – 1216
Strongest of the medieval pope’s
Skillful political leader
Believed in the supreme earthly power of
the papacy
• Felt he had authority to settle all political
as well as spiritual problems
– Involved himself with disputes all over Europe
• Used his powers of excommunication and
interdiction
Cont.
• When he fought with King John of England
• Placed entire realm under interdict
– To have it lifted John was forced to become
his vassal and pay tithe to Rome
• Used it against the king of France as well -- Philip
• Tried to have his marriage annulled
– Innocent forced Philip to take his wife back