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Rise and Development of Christianity in Medieval Europe
The Medieval Period began in 500 A.D. and ended around the late 1400s. We're going to go a little bit further back so that we can build a better understanding of where Christianity came from. This religion began in the first century and was about Jesus Christ and his life. From there, it spread to the Roman Empire, though it was illegal to practice. Armenia was the first kingdom to legalize Christianity in 301.
Constantine I, the first Roman Emperor to support Christianity. His Edict of Milan legalized the practice of Christianity in 313. Constantine wasn't a Christian, but allegedly, he converted on his deathbed. In the fifth century, the Franks and the Irish became Christians. Bulgaria followed in the early ninth century, then Poland in the mid-ninth century.
Fig 1: Emperor Constantine I
Types of Christianity in Medieval Europe
Christianity had two powerful sects, the Roman Church and the Byzantine Church. The head of the Roman church was the Pope, while the Byzantine Emperor ruled the Byzantine Church. The Emperor appointed a Patriarch who was just beneath him in spiritual power.
The churches had different theological beliefs that created a divide between them. This division steadily grew until the Photian Schism in 863. The final blow happened during the Great Schism when the two churches separated. The Byzantine Church became the Eastern Orthodox Church, while the other became the Roman Catholic Church.
Photian Schism:
The Pope claimed to be the supreme head of the church and that the Byzantine Emperor was below him. Of course, the Byzantines disagreed and argued that the Emperor had the right to appoint a Patriarch without the approval of the Pope.
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Eastern Orthodox Church considered itself the first Christian Church and the only true one. Many different groups make this claim within Christianity. The church believes its leaders can trace their right to rule to the first twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. This religion was more prevalent in Eastern Europe.
Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholics believe their church is the earthly representation of Christ's will on Earth. They believe that the Pope can trace his right to rule to Peter, one of Jesus's disciples. They believed that the Bible was the oldest book in the world and that it was a guide to a moral life that would lead to Heaven. This religion was more prevalent in Western Europe. For the duration of this article, we will focus on the Roman Catholic Church.
Fig 2: This chart lists the hierarchy within the Roman Catholic Church
Role of Christianity in Medieval Europe
Christianity directly influenced the lives of Europeans, from the King down to the Commoner. We'll examine Christian influence on the Commoner's and Ruler's levels. A commoner's life revolved around the Church, and the burden of the Church was on the commoner. Churches didn't pay taxes and weren't sustained by the kingdom. They relied on people paying ten percent of their earnings to the church.
Churches also charged fees for weddings, baptisms, and other services. Festivals held on Holy Days, like Easter or Candlemas, were also paid for by commoners. While nobles donated to churches, they didn't sustain the entire burden of funding them. People also paid for indulgences, which became a point of contention.
An indulgence was a token purchased from the Catholic Church that would shorten someone's stay in Purgatory. According to the Catholic faith, after a person dies, they go to Purgatory. They waited in Purgatory for a specific time determined by the sins committed during their lifetime. Then they went to Heaven; indulgences allowed them to skip the wait time in Purgatory.
Catholic Heretical Sects:
Catholics believed that certain groups that practiced religions against their interpretation of the Bible were wrong. These groups were called Heretical Sects, and many practiced a different form of Christianity. Let's take a look at the Beguines, their form of Catholicism wasn't very different from their contemporaries, but it was still considered a heretical sect.Beguines
Beguines were women who lived their lives in service of others. They were scattered and unorganized until the 13th century when the French King Louis IX built them beguinages. The Beguinages had different practices based on their location. Unlike Nuns, beguines could join or leave Beguinages whenever they wanted to; plus, they could keep their worldly possessions.
Beguines were popular until Marguerite Perret published a book called Mayor of Simple Souls. The book wasn't well received because Perrot was a woman. In 1311, she was tried and burned at stake for the crime of being a woman who wrote a book. We don't know if Perret was a beguine, but the court records claimed she was.
Fig 3: Beguine Woman
The Catholic Church disliked them because they didn't have permission from the pope and weren't a nunnery. Beguines continued their practices but changed their name to Tertiary. The Beguines were far luckier than other heretical sects. For example, the Cathars were extinguished during the crusades through genocide. The lifestyle of the Beguine offered a third choice to women, who were limited in socially acceptable lifestyles.
Women in the Medieval Ages could become nuns or get married. Nuns didn't typically live with secular society and were a permit placement. Beguines could live in their own homes if they chose to, quit whenever they liked and didn't have to get married.
Influence of Christianity in Medieval Europe
The Catholic Church held a lot of influence over Western Medieval Europe because the Pope was considered a direct link to God. If a King or noble went against the Pope, Cardinals, or Bishops, they were threatened with ex-communication. Kings were given the right to rule by God if they went against the Pope, who was the voice of God on Earth, then they went against God. Excommunication meant that the people no longer had to serve the king.
Excommunication:
When someone is removed from the Catholic Church. They cannot participate in Catholic sacraments or enter Heaven. An excommunicated king meant that the kingdom couldn't participate in sacraments, i.e. funerals, weddings, and Holy Days.
The church judged some crimes through ordeals. A person who passed an ordeal was innocent, while someone who didn't was guilty. One of the most well-known ordeals was the Ordeal of Water. A person was tied and thrown into a body of water. If they could escape, they were assisted by the devil, guilty, and executed. If the person drowned, they were innocent and dead. This ordeal was often administered to accused witches.
Catholicism and the Protestant Reformation
The policies of the Catholic Church heavily influenced the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther and many reformers didn't agree with the sale of indulgences. They believed that the Church was greedy and that money couldn't buy someone's place in Heaven. Another reason people lost faith in the Catholic Church was the Bubonic Plague. Priests couldn't heal people who had the plague. As many people died, their loved ones turned from the Church.
The Spanish Inquisition
Pope Alexander VI gave the Spanish monarchs Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile the ability to create the Spanish Inquisition. The Inquisition was to find non-Catholics and get them to confess to their heresy. Spain was anti-Muslim and anti-Semitic. In 1492, Jewish people were forced to leave Spain, and the crown confiscated their property. In 1502, Spain forced Muslims to convert or leave.
The Spanish Inquisition's goal was to root out Jewish and Muslim people. Inquisitors tortured suspects until they confessed. It was a bloody and violent time.
Christianity in Medieval Europe
Christianity played a significant role in Medieval Europe. It affected the personal lives of individuals, from commoners to kings. Eventually, people began to feel that the Catholic Church took advantage of them and was greedy. This sentiment led to reformers who attempted to change things. When they failed, events like the Protestant Revolution took place and forced change.
Christianity in Medieval Europe - Key takeaways
- Christianity began in the Middle East and spread into Europe through Rome.
- Christianity split into two powerful sects during the Great Schism: The Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Church.
- Christianity played a significant role in the lives of Medieval Europeans, from the commoners to the King!
- The Catholic Church conducted ordeals that would tell if a person was guilty or innocent. These trials often led to the death of the accused.
- The Spanish Inquisition was an anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim investigation meant to find non-Catholics and force them to confess through torture.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Christianity in Medieval Europe
What was the role of Christianity in medieval Europe?
Christianity dominated the political, economic, and person lives of Europeans during the Medieval Ages.
In what way was Christianity a unifying force in medieval Europe?
Different sectors of Christianity united European kingdoms against each other. Castile, Aragon,
In what ways did Christianity influence medieval Europe?
Christian leaders like the Pope had the ability to wage religious wars against different religious groups. These leaders were considered to be more powerful than Kings because they were a direct link to God. Rulers had to seek advice from religious rulers and even needed their permission before performing certain acts.
How did Christianity dominate politics in medieval Europe?
Secular rules had to seek advice from Christian leaders during Medieval Europe. A king couldn't get married without the Pope's approval, nor could he appoint a religious leader within his kingdom. If a secular leader went against the Pope, he was threatened with excommunication unless he did as the Pope wished.
How did Christianity affect daily life in medieval Europe?
Daily life for the Medieval commoner was heavily influenced by the church. Women went to church three times a day to pray. People gave ten percent of their income to the church. The church presided over weddings, funerals, baptisms, and Holy days, all of which were paid for by the Commoners.
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