The Role of the Church in Medieval Europe

Clergy

• Society in the Middle

Ages consisted of

“men of _________,

men of war, and men

of _____________.” -Alfred the Great

• Clergy influenced all

levels of society,

especially kings,

because they were

educated

Clergy

• Church guided life of

people… from

baptism to marriage

and to death

• Power to

______________ or

to ______________

Was very powerful in

people’s lives

Church Hierarchy

_______________ – head of

church, Latin for “Father”

___________________ –

advisors to the Pope, controlled

the archbishops and choose

new Pope from the cardinals

Current Pope:

Benedict XVI

El Grego,

Portrait of

a Cardinal

Church Hierarchy

• ______________________ –

controlled archdiocese

and bishops

• _______________controlled “diocese” in

larger cities or provinces made of many

parishes

Church

Hierarchy• ____________ – in charge of

monasteries and local parishes

• ____________ - local church or parish;

led religious services(weddings,

baptisms, and funerals),

cared for sick

Church

Hierarchy: Monks

• Lived in monasteries

• “Hard” or physical

labor to support their

communities

• Occasionally preached

• “Low man” on the

Church Hierarchy

“totem pole” but crucial

since they were in

contact with people the

most.

Monastery• Complex community of many different buildings

– Granaries

– Breweries

– Bakeries

– Wineries

– Abbey church

– Library / scriptorium

– Hospital

– SchoolSelf contained like a town

Monastery• Inside libraries monks

copied ______________

• Wrote in beautiful

handwriting

• Drew elaborate

illustrations…………

• Illuminated letters

“Spreading the Word”

St. Francis of

Assisi

• Religious communities formed

• Monks could travel, spread

Christianity, and do “good

deeds” for the poor

• _________________________

began his own group of monks

….helping the poor and sick

Church Hierarchy: Women

• Women were

excluded from church

employment except

as ____________ or

directors of

_________

• Nuns were “Brides of

Christ”; swore never

to marry, devoted to

charitable work

Church Hierarchy: Women

• Worked with the poor,

provided shelter,

medicine and helped

their religious

community

• Abbesses: nuns in

charge of

_________________-

-- communities for the

nuns

Illuminated letters were an art

form and common practice for

nuns and monks copying texts

for sale to help the convent or

monastery.

Power of the Church

Church encouraged Christians to

save their souls by ___________

_________________to Churches

• Nobles were encouraged to leave

their lands to the church (upon

death) in return for ____________

______________ >>> increasing

the church’s holdings and wealth

Power of t he Church

Clergy> most often the

only members of

society able to ______

______and _________

• Most kings were

illiterate>> clergy were

advisors to the king =

very powerful

Kings >> conflict with the Church

800 c.e., Kings and nobles tried to _________ ___________from church.

Kings appointed their own people/ relatives to church positions, such as bishops and cardinals

Kings >> conflict with the Church

New pope> Gregory VII

wanted to give back

power to church.

Announced that

_________ was higher

than ____________

and that only the Pope

could appoint members

to church

King Henry IV refused

Pope’s edict (formal announcement)

Pope ______________

King Henry IV

Education Spreads in Europe

__________________________ became too small to teach those who wanted to be educated

• Began meeting outside or in taverns ….eventually began to construct buildings, which grew into universities and colleges

Art of the Medieval Church

Most art (paintings and sculptures) were ________________and featured Christ or people from the Bible or lessons

Flat, stylized art… not three dimensional

Art of the Church

Filled with art, stained glass,,

sculpture, and paintings

Tribute to _______________

….built to strike “awe” in those

who viewed the art in these

cathedrals