-
While Charlemagne was still alive, Italy was part of his empire. However, his death caused Italy to fall into a state of
disorder.
→ (map year 900s)
Byzantine Empire held parts
of Italy. The pope ruled the
Papal States, while Arab
Muslims ruled Sicily.
Over time, the Holy Roman
Empire was weakened by
internal divisions. -
A long dispute, called the Investiture Controversy, centred on whether it was the Pope or the Emperor who appointed bishops. This was finally resolved at the Concordat of Worms (1122)
-
map 1200s
The great goal of uniting Germany and Italy
was never achieved. During the early
1200s Emperor Frederick II tried to bring
the two regions together under imperial
rule. He failed. Each country also remained
divided into small, independent cities and
feudal states. The emperor had little real
control over the fragmented kingdom. Italy
remained divided into three regions.
Northern Italy (controlled by the Lombard
cities), Papal States held power in Italy’s
center, and the kingdom of Sici -
Under him the medieval papacy reached the height of its power. After
Innocent, however, the worldly power of the church began to weaken. This happened becausemany feltthat church
laws limited their trade and industry. Also, people began to question some church practices(great wealth,method of
raising money, worldly lives of some clergy members…) -
In the late 1300s John Wycliffe (priest and teacher at Oxford University)attacked the wealth of the church.
He promoted the first translation of the Bible into English from Latin. English people could then read the Bible and
decide for themselves what it meant.
** -
From 1378 until 1417 the Church had two and sometimes three popes. This period of church is called the great
Schism. The church was divided into opposing groups. For political reasons, each pope had the support of certain
national rulers and their people and clergy
