Transcript Medieval Missions 1000-1517

The Crusades, Inquisition, Vikings and Black Plague were
devastating to Western Christianity, while the internal
battles over power, territory and authority over secular
powers brought the Church from its highest power at the
beginning to its lowest power by the end of this period
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General status of the Church at 1000
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16.9% of world is Christian with 21.3% “evangelized”
Total martyrs to date est. 3,064,000 (3,400/yr av.)
World population is est. 275 million
Average lifespan is 30 years; average Male height: 5’6”
End of N. African Church
More than 50% of Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan had become Nestorian
Christians –
 Soon this would disintegrate as the Seljuk Turks gain
control and rule until 13ths century
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After the Viking raids ended in 11th cent. only internal
problems persisted
Medieval churches owned privately by wealthy
laymen, monasteries or bishops: owners
profited personally; appointed priests, had him
ordained, and paid him.
The appointment of church officials was being done by
Emperor or princes by simony (“sale of church office”)
Pope Gregory in 1059 declared no secular leader could
determine the next pope, rather a College of Cardinals
Gregory declared the absolute and infallible authority of the
Pope, which the Emperor refused, denouncing him as pope
and selected another.
Pope Gregory excommunicates Emperor Henry IV, forcing his
humiliating repentance at Canossa in 1077
Succeeded in separating secular power from the church
Power of papacy grew, preparing for Crusades
and the Inquisition
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Church was like the sun and kings were like the moon –
thus kings derived their power from the Church!
 Excommunication: set apart from the benefits of the
Church’s sacraments which were essential for salvation (so
they believed)
 Interdict: Blockage of Church’s benefits to an entire
population because of a rebellious leader
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 Pope Innocent III (1160-1216) applied an interdict 85 times
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Concordat with Rome: Special privileges granted to RCC
 The first was the Concordat of Worms 1122, ended the power
struggle between emperor and pope. Now the Church decided
its own bishops without the emperor
 The state must sign its allegiance to Rome
 Recently Brazil refused to sign a Concordat with Rome
(2007)stating the separation of Church and State, but later
signed.
Bones of martyr
Demetrius in Greece
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Chains of Peter
in Rome
Pilgrimages arose out of two beliefs:
The need to do penance (costly, risky and lengthy, thus
just payment for one’s sins)
2. Cult of relics (relicta: “anything left behind” from Holy
Lands)
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Belief that saints were present especially at shrines or relics,
especially body parts, thus more assuredly would hear prayers
When demand too high dismemberment of corpse
Any item associated with a saint: clothing, cross, sword, bones
To touch remains of a saint was especially beneficial
Thousands of items could be purchased from RCC which would
help deceased family member to be released from Purgatory.
When Muslim attacks threatened these venues of
salvation military action was inevitable.
Middle East before Crusades
Pope Urban II preaching to
take back the Holy Lands at
Council of Clermont 1070
Eastern Empire fell to Seljuk Turks in 1071
Eastern Emperor Alexius I appealed to Pope
Urban II for a Crusade to win back Holy Lands
 With the promise of booty and complete
forgiveness (first time ever offered!)
 Christian Europe unleashed its Viking-like
warriors on the Middle East for 200 years of
carnage.
 The expense of the Crusade would break the
Vatican
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Saladin and Guy de Lusignan 1187
surrender of Jerusalem
Jerusalem conquered in 1099, held till 1242
There was a pause of 12 to 50 years between each
Crusade
 Most notable Crusades:
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Middle East after 1st Crusade
 First Crusade to Jerusalem was most successful and
bloodiest
 Second Crusade: Templars were stewards who were
allowed to kill to protect pilgrims and possessions
 Third Crusade: Richard the Lion-Hearted of England
negotiated pilgrim’s right to Jerusalem
 Forth Crusade: Crusaders defeat Constantinople and set
up Latin (Western) Empire; end of Eastern empire
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Muslims would advance in 14-17 century to Vienna
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Jerusalem would remain under Muslims 12421917
Introduction of indulgences for fund-raising
Destruction of Constantinople weakened the
Eastern defense against Muslim invasion
Atrocities of “Christian Crusaders” never
forgotten
Authority of Papacy increased
Kings lost many barons in their realm
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Augustine’s justification for a Just War
accepted inevitable cruelties of war
As surgeon must amputate a leg to save a life
If one exception to violence being evil, then
violence not intrinsically evil.
Crusaders were taught to demonstrate their
love to God by sacrificing everything and
inflicting the greatest destruction
John of England
signs Magna Carta
1050 Celtic Church looses independence after 230
years of fighting (1050 to 1284)
 1149 Cathars (dualistic) or Albigenses grow in France
and Italy – heretical dissident groups pleading reform
 1209 Francis of Assisi funds traveling preachers
(Franciscans) – largest medieval order
 1211 Genghis Khan, emperor of Mongols, kills 36
million Chinese in 10 yrs – enroute to Europe
 1215 Magna Carta, charter of English liberties and
limitation of kings, subject to laws.
 1217 Albigensians kill 2 monks sent to teach RCC; seen
as act of war resulting in massacre and intolerance
 1229 Vernacular Scriptures prohibited by Synod of
Toulouse in SW France
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