Church Reform and the Crusades

Church Reform and the Crusades Chapter 14.1

Trouble Ahead: The Emperor vs. the Pope • Began with crowning of Charlemagne • Otto I united Germany and part of Italy into Holy Roman Empire (900’s-1100’s) • Church was not happy with: • German power over Italy • Use of lay investiture: ceremony in which kings and noble appointed church officials • Use of simony: the selling of positions in the church • 1075: Pope Gregory VII banned lay investiture

Henry IV vs. Pope Gregory VII • After Gregory banned lay investiture, Henry ordered him to step down • Gregory then excommunicated Henry • Henry went to Canossa in January 1077 and stood barefoot in the snow for three days to beg Gregory’s forgiveness • The showdown didn’t solve anything • 1122: Concordat of Worms: compromise saying Church could appoint Bishops but emperor could veto

Reform • Church was reorganized to resemble a kingdom with pope at the top • Church enforced laws against simony and marriage of priests Pope Gregory VII

New Religious Orders • Dominicans Franciscans Benedictines • Importance of helping poor and sick • These orders included women and men Saint Francis of Assisi

Cathedrals • Gothic- new style of architecture during Middle Ages • Stained glass windows often told stories for illiterate peasants • Chartres (Cathedral of Notre-Dame)

Warm Up • What were the three main problems that the Church wanted to reform?

Answers • Lay investiture- process of nobles and kings appointing church officials • Simony- selling church positions • Marriage of priests- this was against the beliefs of the Church

Crusades • Pope Urban II issued a call for the Crusades (holy war) to gain control of the Holy Land • Goals of Crusades • Reclaim Holy Land and reunite Christendom • Keep arguing knights busy • Younger sons who did not inherit property could gain position in society, adventure, or riches • Merchants loaned money to finance the Crusades

First Crusade • Large outpouring of support from all Christians • Knights were ill-prepared and argued over a leader • Captured Jerusalem and won narrow strip of land

Second Crusade • To win back Edessa from the Turks • European army was defeated • Jerusalem was taken by Saladin, a Kurdish leader

Third Crusade • Philip II of France argued with Richard and went home • Frederick I drowned on the journey • Richard the Lionhearted battled with Saladin and eventually agreed to a truce

Crusading Spirit Dwindles • In 1204 the Fourth Crusade to recapture Jerusalem fails because knights are too busy looting Constantinople • Children’s Crusade: In two separate movements, 50,000 children died from cold, starvation, or drowning or were sold into slavery

Spanish Crusade • Reconquista: effort of Spanish to drive Muslim Moors out of Spain • Succeeded under Isabella and Ferdinand in late 1400’s.

Isabella and Ferdinand used the Inquisition (Court held by Church to suppress heretics) to unify country and increase power • Many Muslims and Jews converted but were still tried for heresy and burned at the stake

Effects of Crusades • Increased trading between Europe and Southwest Asia • Role of women expanded to run estates or businesses after men left for war • Power of Pope lessened • Power of feudal lords lessened and power of kings increased • Persecution of Muslims and Jews caused legacy of hatred and bitterness • Energy of Crusades also led to expansion of trade, towns, and universities across medieval Europe

Church Reform and the Crusades