Continues from the
previous post –
Gregory
appeals for help to his vassals the Normans,
recently invited by the papacy to conquer southern Italy and Sicily.
A Norman army reaches Rome in 1084, drives out the Germans and
rescues Gregory. However, the Norman sack of the city is so violent,
and provokes such profound hostility, that Gregory has to flee south
with his rescuers. He dies in 1085 in Sicily.
Clement
III returns to Rome and reigns there with imperial support as pope
(or in historical terms as anti-pope) for most of the next ten years.
Urban II, the pope who preaches the first crusade
in 1095, is not able to
enter the holy city for several years after his election. Unrest
prevails in Rome, and uncertainty in the empire, until the
Hohenstaufen wins the German crown in 1138.
In
this sequence of events, the nature of the medieval papacy is clearly
seen. Excommunication of rulers, military campaigns enjoying papal
support, rival popes reigning at the same time, the split between
pope and emperor as a factor in European politics - all these become
familiar themes of the Middle Ages.
To
already available, three tools (the fear for the unknown, giving
false promises in the name of Jesus, blackmailing from information
available by confessions) now one more powerful tool of
excommunication was added effectively. Power of Papacy was growing
gradually.
The cumulative effect, centuries later, is a papacy of great wealth, vast power, considerable corruption and much reduced spiritual authority. Eventually, these characteristics provoke the Reformation. In the meantime, the papacy has its period of greatest power, presiding over Europe's feuding factions and charging handsomely for the service. Papal authority became more of a business in political field than anything of a religious authority did. This goes well with the general mindset of European people, as they are more or less bent on material importance than spiritual one. Their materialistic attitude became more vivid during the scientific Renaissance that took place during 17th and later period.
Crusades
with a difference: 1200-1208
In
the 13th century, during the pontificate of Innocent III, there are
two crusades, which differ from their predecessors in one major
respect. The crusaders use their might against fellow members of the
Christian community.
In
the earlier of the two, the fourth
crusade, this is a
flagrant travesty of the official intention. The crusaders divert
from their journey east to capture and pillage the Greek Orthodox
city of Constantinople - an act Innocent pretended to immediately and
strongly condemned. Then he allowed the second unusual crusade
specifically preached by the Pope. He launches it against heretics in
the south of France - the puritanical sect of Cathars,
who now have close links with the Bogomils
of Eastern Europe.
One Church
attacking other lesser strong Church for the sake of power shows that
Papal authority of Roman Catholic Church had far exceeded the limits
and had openly proved that it is business of Church and it has really
nothing to do with either Jesus or his righteousness. Roman Catholic
Church declared all those who opposed Papal power as heretics and
ordered to destroy them mercilessly. Most so-called heretics were
true followers of Jesus' ideology; even so, they were killed by
Pope's followers. In this way, Pope became more powerful in Church
business than Jesus! In decision, making Jesus was secondary to Pope
in all matters of business of Church. All the same, Cross-of Jesus
was hanging on all walls of Churches nonchalantly!
Continues in next
post –
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me on my Email ID given below,
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Kothare, http://ashokkotharesblog.blogspot.com/
for
stories
I
reckon,
http://kotharesviews.blogspot.com/
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You
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http://blogs.siliconindia.com/kothare/
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