WORLD HISTORY READERS Level 5 Popes and Kings

WORLD HISTORY READERS Level 5 -④ Popes and Kings in the Middle Ages

The Absolute Power of Kings When were the Middle Ages? About 500 to 1, 000 years ago A map of Europe in the Middle Ages Did kings and queens have a lot of power during the Middle Ages? Yes, they could basically do whatever they wanted to do. • They could decide to go to war without a vote. • They could raise taxes. • They could easily have people killed.

The Power of the Pope Who was more powerful than a king or queen? Why was he more powerful? Kings and queens made laws for the people in their own countries, but the pope made decisions that affected everyone. The pope Popes could give punishments. What could the pope do if someone did not obey him? He could excommunicate, or exclude, them from the church. What could happen if a king or queen did not obey the pope? Locked doors during an interdict The pope could put that person’s whole country under an interdict. This meant that all the churches in the country would be closed until the pope said they could be opened again.

A Medieval Religion No one wanted to go to hell. Why was church so important to people during the Middle Ages? Everyone wanted to go to heaven. l People believed that if they did not have the blessing of the church when they died, they would go to hell. In hell, they would suffer terrible pain forever, and no one wanted that. So they didn’t want to be excluded from the church. l People wanted to be able to pray and confess their sins. They wanted to be pardoned for their sins. l People wanted to go to heaven when they died. So, although the pope did not have an army, the punishments he could give were very scary. They lasted forever.

The Battle of the Bishops Did the kings of the Middle Ages agree that the pope should have ultimate control over everyone? No, the kings objected to his interference in their kingdoms. What is a bishop? A bishop is an important person in charge of a big area called a diocese and all the churches and priests within it. Why did popes and kings argue over bishops? They argued over who should appoint bishops. For example, Henry IV, a German king, argued with Pope Gregory VII over who should appoint clergy. Henry IV and his wife and child

Electing a New Pope What happens when a pope dies? Who elects a new pope? A new pope is elected from the most important church officials. The most important church officials pray for guidance to help them choose a new pope. What was the problem with this method? The church, in those days, was corrupt. Quite often, the leaders of the church would take bribes or be pressured to vote in a particular way. So it could be easy for a king to get the pope that he wanted. Are there any examples of this happening? Yes, it happened in 14 th century France. In 1305, King Philip IV got a French pope elected, Clement V, who moved the papal court from the Vatican in Italy to France. After that, the next seven popes, all Frenchmen, lived in France and were controlled by French kings.

Papal Indulgences What were “papal indulgences? ” If someone had done something bad and they wanted to be forgiven, they could buy an indulgence from the church. This meant they could buy God’s forgiveness for their sin and have a better chance of getting into heaven. What was the problem with papal indulgences sold under Pope Leo X? Indulgences had been around for centuries, but under Leo X they led to problems. Leo X spent a lot of money during his papacy, and he sold indulgences to make up for it. They started a movement that would change the Catholic Church forever. Pope Leo’s actions made people question the teachings of the church. Pope Leo X

Martin Luther Who was Martin Luther? What did he do? He was a priest who lived in Germany. He objected to the selling of indulgences. He said you could not buy forgiveness. What happened? The Reformation swept across Western Europe. The pope excommunicated him, but Luther continued to protest. People agreed with Luther, and a new form of Christianity developed. Its followers were called Protestants. The movement was called the Reformation because they wanted to reform the Catholic Church.

Henry VIII of England What was King Henry VIII’s problem? Henry VIII was married to Catherine of Aragon and had been married to her for twenty-three years. They had one daughter but no sons. Henry wanted a son who could be king after he died, but Catherine was too old to have more children. Henry wanted to leave her. But in those days, kings and queens were married for life. Catherine of Aragon Henry VIII What did he do? He sent a letter asking the Pope for an annulment. But the Pope said no. Meanwhile, Henry married Anne Boleyn in a secret ceremony. She was already pregnant with his baby. Anne Boleyn

The Reformation What happened? Henry was excommunicated, so he made himself the head of the Church of England. Although Henry never became a Protestant himself, this act set England on the path to become mostly Protestant later. Henry made himself the head of the Church of England. What changed after the Reformation? The Reformation weakened the position of the popes from that time and into the present.

The World Today How are things different today? l Most western countries are ruled by governments elected by the citizens. l A few countries still have kings and queens, but they do not make laws or tell people what to do anymore. l The Roman Catholic Church is still ruled by a pope who has absolute power over his followers. However, he concerns himself only with religious matters. He does not get involved in politics. l The pope still has over a billion followers. He is one of the most respected people in the world. Pope Francis was elected in 2013.

Vocabulary ü blessing n. God's favor and protection or a prayer asking for God's favor and protection ü clergy n. priests or religious leaders

Vocabulary ü exile n. the condition or state of a person who is sent or kept away from their own country, town, etc. ü invade v. to attack a country to occupy it

Vocabulary ü kidnap v. to physically take someone away using force ü kingdom n. a country or region that is ruled by a king or queen

Vocabulary ü mistreat v. to treat a person or animal badly or unfairly, especially by making them suffer physically ü poison v. to kill a person or animal or to make them very ill by giving them a dangerous chemical