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Culture Documents
14
The Reformation
The Great Schism
• In 1305, King Philip IV (4) of France used his political
power to get Clement V (5) elected as Pope.
• 2 years later Pope Clement V moved the center of the
Roman Catholic Church from Rome, Italy to Avignon,
France.
• After the move to Avignon most of the popes were French,
which upset many church officials because they felt the
French kings controlled the popes (for example, the arrest of
the Knights Templar).
• In 1378, there was a split in the Roman Catholic Church
when church leaders in Avignon and Rome elected different
popes. The split is known as the Great Schism.
• From 1414 to 1418, the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire
who ruled much of central Europe held conferences in
Germany to end the schism.
• Church officials removed the French pope and persuaded the
Roman Pope to resign. In 1417, church officials elected
Pope Martin V (5) of Rome who began to unify the Catholic
Church once again.
WATCH Avignon Expedia
Criticism of the Church
• The Church owned a lot of land, about one-fifth
(20%) to one third (33%) of all of land in Europe.
• The Church did not have to pay taxes on the
property they owned.
• Many Europeans who lived outside of Italy disliked
having to pay taxes to the Church in Rome.
• People were angry that the Church sold indulgences.
• Indulgences were sold as pardon for sin, and people
bought indulgences thinking they could avoid
punishment in the afterlife.
• People also did not like how the Church spent
money. During the Renaissance the Popes spent
large sums of money on the arts.
WATCH Tour of the Vatican with Rick Steves (1:30-5:25)
Reformers Take A Stand
• John Wycliffe who taught in Oxford, England questioned
the right of Popes to levy taxes and appoint church
officials without the king’s approval.
• For many years bibles were only printed in Latin, but during
Luther’s time printers made Bibles in local languages.