1. The Struggles of the Catholic Church
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Chapter 9

2. Changes in Europe and Criticism of the Church
Europe was changing during the 11th century.
Development of strong national monarchies.
Challenged the Church for authority.
A growing middle class.
Believed the Church hampered trade and industry.
A new learning appeared.
Teachings of Muslims and Greeks caused skepticism concerning Church teachings.
The Church also was receiving criticism because of its vast wealth, its methods for raising money, and the worldly lives of some of the members of the clergy

3. Boniface VIII Philip IV

4. Boniface VIII versus Philip IV
As nationalism increased, papal claims to authority met with opposition.
In 1294, Philip IV (the Fair) demanded that the clergy pay taxes to the national treasury.
Boniface VIII hesitated to challenge Philip since France had long supported the popes against the German emperors.
Still he feared that taxation of the clergy by secular monarchs would weaken the power of the Church.
In 1296, Boniface issued the Clericis Laicos, ordering the clergy not to pay taxes to Philip.

5. Conflict Continues
Philip struck back at the Church by forbidding the export of gold and silver from France, thus cutting off payments to Boniface.
Boniface was forced to modify his pronouncement by permitting the clergy to make voluntary contributions for the necessary defense of their lands.
In 1302, Boniface issued the Unam Sanctum, stating that the power was supreme on earth in both spiritual and temporal matters.
Philip called for a general council of the Church to bring Boniface to trial for heresy.
Though seized by Philips’s envoy, Boniface was quickly released but died soon after.

6. The Babylonian Captivity
Shortly, after the death of Boniface, Philip IV managed to have one of his French councilors elected pope.
The new pope moved the seat of the papacy from Rome to Avignon, in southern France.
Known as the Avignon Papacy.
This period from 1309 to 1377 is called the Babylonian Captivity. The papacy would remain here for the next 70 years.

7. Confusion in the Papacy
Now the papacy got very “complex”.
A French pope, Gregory XI, was persuaded to leave Avignon and return to Rome, where he died.
The threats of the Roman mobs forced the College of Cardinals to elect an Italian pope.
The French cardinals then left and elected their own Pope. (The King of France’s cousin)
The Italian pope excommunicated the French pope and cardinals.
The French pope returned the favor and excommunicated his Italian counterparts.

8. The Great Schism
The period from 1378 to 1417 is known as the Great Schism.
Meaning a division into hostile groups.
Each of the new popes was supported by certain national rulers. Councils were created to solve the problems.
: Council of Pisa
The church tried to depose both popes and elect a new pope, but neither pope would step down. Now there were 3 popes.
: Council of Constance
The Council deposed all the popes and elected a new pope, along with a series of reforms for the Church.
All three popes resigned or stepped down, but the damage was done.

9. Criticism of the Church
Criticism of the Church came for within the Church.
Marsilius of Padua and John of Jandun (Fransiscan monks) wrote an influential work called Defender of the Peace.
It criticized the power of both the Church and monarchs.
Ordinary people also expressed original ideas about the Church.
John Wycliffe of England attacked the wealthy and the immorality of the Church.
Wycliffe best known for translating the Bible into English.
John Huss was a teacher at the University of Prague.
Denounced various abuses by the Church.
Huss was tried by the Council of Constance as a heretic and burned at the stake.