Who Has More Power The Pope Or A King - 1657 Words

Who has more power: the Pope or a king? The power struggle between religious leaders and leaders of nations came into fruition around the eleventh century and lasted for hundreds of years afterward. As Popes tried to gain power, their decisions were seen as corrupt by numerous Europeans. Dante Alghieri, through his book The Inferno, establishes his negative opinion by his portrayal of Popes. Machiavelli does the same in The Prince, often pointing out the shortcomings of Popes. At the time, Popes portrayed themselves as leaders of political and spiritual issues throughout Christian Europe and this reputation was solidified through the description of Popes in The Inferno and The Prince. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the Pope was the highest level bishop in the West, giving symbolic leadership to Christians. There was a certain theological confidence about Popes, with many believing they never made mistakes regarding theological issues. Eventually, Popes regarded themselves as lea ders that were in charge of spiritual and political issues, mainly through the Doctrine of Two Swords. With this idea originally from Pope Gregory I, other Popes furthered their boundaries of leadership outside of spiritual matters. They regarded themselves as Vicars of God, essentially meaning they were God’s â€Å"lieutenant† or a representative of God. The use of the word â€Å"lieutenant† played well into how Popes viewed themselves, for they were becoming more and more prominent military leaders.Show MoreRelatedThe Rise Of The Middle Ages1569 Words   |  7 Pagespeople’s religion and beliefs. From Charlemagne’s empire and religious strengthening to the Pope’s significant role in the government, down to the limited rights of a King, the study of God’s existence and the 95 Theses, we learn of all the true Reformations the Middle Ages has faced. Charlemagne was a very powerful leader and had the power to expand his people’s minds. 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But soon enough, the church was shook with the realization that no one was paying attention to what really mattered: religion. As time progressed, the church’s only role was to eliminate the destruction of faith. By unifying the people, living throughRead MoreHenry Viii as a King, Evaluation1676 Words   |  7 Pageshis aims as king between 1509-1514? To an extent Henry VIII achieved his aims as King between 1509-1515. Whilst he achieved aims such as to have glory in battle such as with France to earn prestige and therefore establish greater power within the European countries, he did fail in some aspects with most set aim as king. An example of this is his inability to produce a male heir to the throne which arguably was one of his prime aims as king. One of Henry’s main aims as king was to be a different