Criticisms of the Catholic Church in the HRE (Germany more specific)

Question 1

What is the papacy an what was his role?

Answer 1

The idea that the Pope was the Head of the Roman Catholic Church.
Led on all matters spiritual across all Western Europe.

Question 2

Where was the Pope based?

Answer 2

In Rome.

Question 3

What was the issue with National Churches?

Answer 3

National churches began to emerge with a district character as non-resident cardinals became more powerful in local churches. The power moved slowly to regions-princes and secular rulers- build up local authority-began to challenge popes right to make local appointments to resist paying papal taxes.

Question 4

What did national churches create?

Answer 4

Regional competition for power, money and influence as a result of the reformation.

Question 5

What are some criticisms of the papacy?

Answer 5

The pope gave livings to non-Germans.

Awarded valuable church livings to those who paid the most despite their level of education or fitness to be a priest.

Threat if excommunication was used to extract payments from poor Germans, like buying masses.

Pope granted absolution for great sins if enough gold was paid.

Question 6

Explain the hostility increase of the pope? The HREm?

Answer 6

Popes had a dual role with the Holy Roman Emperor the spiritual and political leader and the resentment of the papacy existed but few wanted complete change.

Question 7

Where was the majority of the anti-papacy feeling?

Answer 7

Germany

Question 8

Name the three factors behind the increased hostility by early 1500s.

Answer 8

Behavior of the Popes- ‘renaissance popes’.

Economic exploitation of Germany by the Roman Catholic Church.

Condition of the Church in Rome.

Question 9

Who was Alexander VI and why was he a questionable pope (Renaissance popes)

Answer 9

He was Spanish and had a lack of respect as he commanded in Italy.

Poisoning, murder and extortion were laid at his door, and surname Borgia is even now a by-word for scheming- controlled I and held papacy.

Had seven children and particularly adored his murderous son (Esare and daughter Lucretia).

Question 10

Who was Julius II and why was he a questionable pope?

Answer 10

Did not like Alexander II ‘desecrated the holy church’ ‘devil’s aid’ and openly criticized him.

Passions art and war- commissioned Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling and set in motion plans to restore Rome. Established the Swiss Guard .

Acting more like a European prince, he made and unmade alliances with Maximillian and led his own troops in battle- a war pope.

Shocked Europe almost as much as his rumored homosexuality.

Question 11

Who was Leo X and why was he a questionable pope status wise?

Answer 11

Last man to become a pope before he became a priest.- elected.

Pope- 9 March 1513
Priest- 15
Consecrated bishop- 17
Crowned Pope- 19

Question 12

Vices wise what was Pope Leo like and what did he do art wise and money wise?

Answer 12

Less vicious, cultured, easy going man and a significant patron of the arts.

Spent a lot of money like Julius- employed Raphael and reorganized Rome’s Uni.

Question 13

What is the correlation with Pope Leo X and simony and his money?

Answer 13

A spendthrift- to replenish his treasury.
Created and sold off to highest bidders 353 offices in the church.
31 new Cardinals on a single day in July 1517 alone.

Question 14

How was Pope Leo extravagant in belongings?

Answer 14

Concurring of Foreign lands- owned a elephant. animals mimic fascination of Roman Emperors.

Question 15

What did Pope Leo X say to his brother regarding money?

Answer 15

He could use the money to ‘enjoy it’ because ‘God has given us the papacy, let us enjoy it’.

Question 16

What did this all add up to in the years running up to Luther?

Answer 16

Pope failing in their role as leaders and allowing corruption and incompetence and ignoring the Humanist view and living in luxury led to anti-papacy feeling and a environment for Luther to gain support.

Question 17

Who did Rome exploit more than any other part of Europe?

Answer 17

German States

Question 18

Why did they exploit them more?

Answer 18

Because they didn’t have one ruler but many at different levels- easier.

Question 19

How did Rome exploit them?

Answer 19

Extracting money every year from the sale of indulgences , rents- lands and property, and to buy offices within the church to sell- high to low for the highest bidder.

Question 20

Why was there an anti-Italian feeling starting to grow early 1500s?

Answer 20

All these rules and taxes came from the Pope in Rome. That were causing economic hardship.

Question 21

How was Germany feeling and why was there limitations to that feeling?

Answer 21

Felt a more nationalist identity gradually as Rome’s influence over the church became unacceptable and they wanted control over the Catholic Church.

However, they could not as not a nation but cities and states.

Question 22

Due to this all (nationalist) how did Luther gain an advantage?

Answer 22

He was tripped over the edge to criticize and had increasing amount especially of educated middle class people more willing to listen than 50 years before (wrote in Latin too- many illiterate).

Question 23

When was the Indulgence Controversy?

Answer 23

1515-17

Question 24

Explain the events of the Indulgence Controversy?

Answer 24

Leo X wanted to rebuild the Basilica but huge costs were involved.

He decided to use an indulgence (normal) and asked most influential banker Jakob Fugger of Augsburg to help him and he decided to link this with another client Albert of Brandenburg (one of electors).

Albert wanted another elector post 1514 Archbishop of Mainz and elector (already Halherstadt and Magdeburg)-would be an elector, the primate of G and imperial chancellor. If he paid Rome large sum wouldn’t have to surrender all posts and a dispensation would be granted.

Fugger- lend money to him. Albert sell the indulgences, and give half to Rome and half to Fugger.

Albert- asked Dominican Friar Johann Tetzel to run sales campaign in his provinces- Mainz and Magdeburg.

Question 25

What was ‘special’ about the indulgence?

Answer 25

Most powerful ever sold.

Question 26

How was it going?

Answer 26

V well but Tetzel’s aggressive marketing tactics did not win universal approval and by Oct 1517 had reached border of Electoral Saxony.

Question 27

What did Frederick the Wise do?

Answer 27

Refused Tetzel permission to enter.

Question 28

What did the subjects of Saxony do?

Answer 28

Flooded over the border anyways keen to purchase such a powerful indulgence.

Question 29

What did Luther do?

Answer 29

Trigger factor (indulgences LT factor) and wrote a list of 95 Theses against indulgences and this kicked off Luther’s criticism and arguably without this the reformation may not have occurred.

Question 30

Who were the bishops?

Answer 30

The most powerful figures, spiritually and politically in the local church.

Question 31

What were the bishops responsible for?

Answer 31

A group of churches and for the priests who ministered in them. Area of operation known as a diocese.

Question 32

When did their extend of power and relationship with local church change dramatically?

Answer 32

16c.

Question 33

What happened in the late medieval period for bishops?

Answer 33

Became increasingly more remote from flocks and local bishop represented power and authority to church to the ordinary people- spiritually and politically.

Question 34

How did the bishops become more remote?

Answer 34

Many ceased to have a relationship with their diocese and many governed large areas away from each other and so didn’t live in diocese- absenteeism.

Question 35

Who else were some bishops? Give an example.

Answer 35

Administrators or politicians and many were nobles and were related to princes and other rulers. e.g. Archbishop of Maniz- brother to Elector of Brandenburg and himself Margrave of Mainz- family ruled this G state.

Some noble families saw the office as bishop as their right.

Question 36

What were bishops a focus for?

Answer 36

For criticism and calls for reform before the Reformation.

Question 37

What were some of their abuses?

Answer 37

The nomination of minors for bishoprics e.g. 7 year old son of Duke of Mecklenburg- Bishop of Schwerin 1516.

For some political authority was built into their position- several were ‘prince-bishops’- territorial rulers and spiritual. - spent less time on spiritual duties and a consequence of political development as much as corruption. (viewed negatively).

As power increased, their relationship with their flocks became less intimate- increasingly viewed as remote figures- more intrested in power than piety. NOT THEIR ROLE SO ANGRY.

Question 38

Was the church a big landowner and wealthy?

Answer 38

Extremely, they blamed the Pope for the financial burden- extremely wealthy, owned property and valuable items like jeweled vestments and silver chalices for communion- donated and not resented by church- landlord did concern. End 15c 1/4 land-income from rents.

Question 39

What did 1st year bishops have to give to the Pope?

Answer 39

Annates to Pope, their first years income. Another way for revenue.

Question 40

What were monastic houses? Who were there and what were they like?

Answer 40

Those who wanted to devote their lives to an entirely religious life to God, monks and nuns lived by certain rules like those of St Benedictine, some completely scheduled and took vows of silence, starved themselves and others integrated into the community and had roles of hospitality and medicine- strictly observed ( Erfurt). It depended on the type and theology they followed.

They lived in nunneries or monasteries and had to surrender all property and their former lives.

Question 41

Who were abbots?

Answer 41

The head of the monastic houses, powerful figures locally.

Question 42

Who could abbots challenge and what did this mean? Give an example.

Answer 42

Authority of a local secular ruler- prepared to defend power (Abbots behavior affected the popularity of the house- local people prepared to criticize those unpopular).

Abbot of Kempten 1492- tenants gathered and wrote grievances like raising rents despite the abbey charter and seizing estate of dead tenants to partners could not inherit.

Question 43

Was the monastic houses wealthy?

Answer 43

Very wealthy due to donations of property, and and money.

Question 44

Who were monks in competition with? Consequence?

Answer 44

Priests for control over congregation locally. This led to arguments between those representing the monastic orders and parish priests. Both sides argued other corrupt and self serving.

Question 45

What did the priests/ monk arguments lead to?

Answer 45

Lasting impression in historical record-:

Priests- ignorant
Monks- scandalous

Question 46

What stereotypes of monks and nuns came about and how?

Answer 46

Pamphlets of reformers and later critics of the church- scandalous financial and sexual behavior (not accurate portrayal of all).

Question 47

Where were the parish clergy in the hierarchy?

Answer 47

Lowest.

Question 48

What was the parish clergy’s role?

Answer 48

Responsible for services, religious guidance and ceremonies like christenings in local parish churches. Representatives of the wider church- ordinary people see on a regular basis,

Question 49

Why did parish clergy have to be perceived well?

Answer 49

Due to remoteness of cardinals, Pope, bishops- for the heath of the church.

Question 50

What did Geoffrey Elton say briefly?

Answer 50

Church was suffering from a crisis oof confidence period just before the reformation.

Question 51

Elton- top positions were monopolies by?

Answer 51

Corrupt and greedy aristocracy.

Question 52

Elton- monastic orders had become?

Answer 52

Wealthy and worldly.

Question 53

Elton- Peasants?

Answer 53

Were ministered to by uneducated, poor greedy parish clergy.

Question 54

Elton- Priests?

Answer 54

Greedy landlords, criminals, committed sexual improperties with local women.

Question 55

What fraction did Diarmaid MacCullouch say of clergy had some uni experience?

Answer 55

1/3 to 1/2 which was an improvement.

Question 56

By late 15c what happened to clergy?

Answer 56

Better educated and committed to parishes than before. More resources to learn how to preach effectively though many had comparatively small income.

Question 57

Why were there critical views? Positive. Clergy.

Answer 57

Criticisms were recorded- Carrisa Taylor- many villages were content with priest and that was seldom communicated to bishops or to courts.

Pamphlets of reformers- aim for a negative light, hard to find good views. Lots of anticlerical rhetoric which created a corrupt view- impression came initially from monks and friars. Monastic vs Priests issues.

Question 58

Give two reasons for the importance of anti-clericalism in HRE.

Answer 58

1. Level of clerical abuses were high- all levels of church misused their positions- increasingly seen by some as bad servants of God.
2. The power of the church and its privileges of the clergy were abused, power resented- particularly in G states.

Question 59

Hoe much land did the church own?

Answer 59

1/6 of ALL G land and tithes to church, rents.

Question 60

What legal powers did the church have?

Answer 60

Created people’s wills- inherit things (and marriage- to inherit)

Question 61

Where were clergy tried if prosecuted for abuses?

Answer 61

Church courts- punishments lighter and protected from proper justice (unfair), could not get death penalty.

Question 62

Did the clergy pay taxes and defence funds?

Answer 62

No, exempt.

Question 63

Were all states unhappy with clergy?

Answer 63

No, half of key states had no anti-clericalism and were happy- much is exaggerated (reformer pamphlets).