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Explore the tumultuous period post-Charlemagne through the lens of power struggles, corruption in the Papacy, and significant reforms such as Cluny and Lay-Investiture Controversy. Discover the achievements and challenges of the Middle Ages amidst political intrigue and religious reforms.
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Post-Charlemagne World • greedy Roman nobles used the papacy as a political pawn • Louis the Pious (son of Charlemagne) divided the kingdom amongst his three sons 843 Treaty of Verdun: Empire divided: • Charles: western kingdom (incl. France) • Lothar: middle kingdom (low countries—Holland—to northern Italy) • Louis the German: eastern kingdom (Germany) • Imperial Enemies: Muslims (south), Vikings (north), Magyars and Slavs (east)
Corruptions in the Papacy: 817-1073 • from the death of Stephen IV to the coronation of Gregory VII • due to: political intrigue, jealous greed among the emperors, popes, roman nobility; foreign invasions (Saracens in the south) • aside from Pope St. Nicholas I (858-867), popes were too weak to resist the emperor and Roman nobility, or too corrupt to even try. • Short papacies with occasional murders (John VIII was poisoned and then beaten to death in 882) Pope St. Nicholas I the Great
Feudalism • Contractual system: between the king, his vassals (wealthy, landowning lords), and “serfs” (common villagers, farmers, monks) • Medieval European politics, economics, and social life was organized this way. • In exchange for protecting the church, some rulers demanded control over episcopal appointments (investiture with ring and crosier) • Nepotism: appointing family members to important positions of authority • Simony: selling of ecclesiastical offices
Achievements of the “terrible” Middle Ages (AD 500 – 1500) • abolition of slavery • liberation of women • checks and balances on absolutism • artistic achievements (medieval cathedrals) • invention of the book and flowering of literature • the musical scale • the mechanical clock • System of Law based on custom • agreements (contracts) bound by oath • the King was not superior to law, but its servant
Reform of the Monasteries: Cluny 909: reform monastery founded in Cluny (Burgundy, France) donated by William the Pious, Duke of Aquitaine. • St. Berno: the first Abbot (900-927): lived the Rule of St. Benedict according to a strict observance. • The Cluny ideal began to spread to other monasteries: eventually, the monastic reform spread all over France, Germany, England, and Spain. • Pope Bl. Urban II was a Cluniac monk. 1016: Pope Benedict VIII granted a privilegium to Cluny • Cluny would eventually be destroyed during the French Revolution in 1792.
Lay-Investiture Controversy • The appointment of bishops: a divine right of the Pope? or, A right of the King? • Since bishops and abbots wielded considerable political influence, kings made sure they were the “right men for the job” • Pope St. Gregory VII (former Cluniac monk): reigned 1073-1085; initiated the great Gregorian Reform. • Dictatus Papae: the Pope possesses certain powers by divine right: (a) the power to convene and ratify a Council; (b) define precepts of the Faith; (c) to appoint, transfer, remove bishops from office; also, (d) the power to depose temporal rulers.
Opposition to Gregorian Reform • Gregorian Reform angered the Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV and the nobility. • In defiance, Henry IV appointed the bishop of Milan; Pope St. Gregory VII deposed and excommunicated Henry as Emperor and released his subjects from his rule; bad for Henry, since he was not very popular. • Henry went to Canossa, Italy, to apologize and repent. • A year later, Henry rejected Gregory’s authority and appointed an anti-pope, Clement III; the pope turned to the Normans for help. • Gregory died in exile in southern Italy away from Henry’s army. Henry IV (1050-1106)
Worms and Henry II of England Concordat of Worms (1122): spiritual investiture was for the church; temporal investiture was for civil politics • Emperor was given a “veto power” over bishop elections, since bishops wielded political power. Henry II of England (1154-1189): the most powerful of all Medieval English monarchs; wishing to consolidate power, appointed his friend St. Thomas Becket as Archbishop of Canterbury (was his Chancellor) St. Thomas: was murdered in his cathedral by a band of knights in 1170. Guilt-ridden, Henry II gave up his program of control over the Church. King Henry II (1133-1189)
Frederick I Barbarossa 1121: Frederick Hohenstaufen “Rothbart” born • most powerful ruler of the Holy Roman Empire • believed that God gave him absolute power as Emperor, even over the church • Pope Adrian IV threatened him with excommunication; the Italian city-states also resented Frederick’s meddling in their affairs • Barbarossa continued to appoint bishops in defiance of the Concordat of Worms; even imprisoned the Papal Legate sent to stop him! • Barbarossa attempted to conquer Italy in five campaigns, but failed. • Later reconciled with the Church before departing for the ThirdCrusade (1187-1192), that would end his life (d. 1190). Redbeard
Frederick II the Excommunicant • Frederick II attempted to crush the Papal States after the death of PopeInnocent III • Because of his cruelty and agnosticism he was seen by many as the “Antichrist” • Even became friendly with Muslims! • Invaded Italy, drove out Pope Gregory IX, who excommunicated him. • Frederick began to execute clergy and desecrate churches; Frederick deposed by Pope Innocent IV; Frederick repents and does penance. Pope Gregory IX (1170-1241)
