Papacy and Monarchy During the Middle Ages The Power of the Papacy in the Middle Ages

The purpose of this paper is the research the reason why the papacy became so empowered during the Middle Ages as well as why some of the Monarchies of the time were able to gain ore power than others in their relationship to the Church.

The period referred to as the 'middle ages' is the period in history between the fall of the last Roman emperor in the West which was in 476 A.D. And the fall of Constantinople to the Turks in the year 1453, and some account this period ending in 1492 with the discovery of America by Columbus. The papacy of the Roman Catholic Church became a major institution of political power during the early middle ages.

The Papacy's Rise to Power:

The papacy's rise to power can be accredited to their gain of great holdings and wealth during the middle ages. The ability of the church to gain holdings and wealth in the vast amounts in which they did is accredited to the fact that the church was not required...

Late in the middle ages tithes became a requirement under administration of law. The papacy's rise to power was realized under the rule of Gregory the Great. Under Gregory's rule the papacy acquired its' supremacy and according to the papacy the following were the reasons that the power of the church grew after the death of Charlemagne:
1. Weak kings of that day and time had a tendency to lean on the church authorities for support.

2. The powers of interdiction and excommunication held by the church increased the power of the papacy during this time period.

Gregory VII and the Saxon emperors were an ambitious and determined group which believed that all supremacy should be vested in the 'Holy See' and that the papacy should hold authority over all secular matters and elements. When Pope Innocent III came into power the powers vested in the papacy were greatly and further extended. Innocent granted to the papacy and to himself the vested power of making all decisions on disputes between the…