Papacy
Also called: Pope · Topic: Medieval Europe: Feudalism and the Three Orders · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 3 "Changing Traditions"; Class 11, Ch 4 "The Three Orders"; Class 11, Ch 5 "Changing Cultural Traditions"
Meaning
The papacy is the office of the Pope, the head of the Catholic Church in western Europe, based in Rome. In medieval Europe the Church had its own laws and its own lands, which rulers had gifted to it. It could also collect taxes. This made the Pope a power separate from kings. Popes and rulers often needed each other's support. After a long period of weakness, popes regained strength from 1417 and became patrons of Rome's revival.
Example
In 800, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne, king of the Franks, as "Holy Roman Emperor". He did this to make sure Charlemagne would support him.
Don't confuse with
- Head of the Eastern Church: he was based in Constantinople and had a similar relationship with the Byzantine emperor. He was not the Pope.
Related concepts
- Catholic Church
- Clergy
- Tithe
- Monasticism
- Benedictine order
- Friars
- Hildegard of Bingen
- Canterbury Tales