Feudalism Evolved As Medieval Kings Term Paper

As mercantilism and world trade grew, so too did the economic foundation of both Church and State. One of the main reasons reformers challenged Church authority was to point out the endemic corruption within the papacy, especially in relation to its unquestioned dominance.

However, the revival of Classical traditions and the Renaissance humanist tradition also sparked the Reformation. Reformers like Martin Luther continued to revere the core tenets of Christian doctrine without respecting the hegemonic power of the Papacy. Some of the main issues reformers opposed included the hierarchical clergy. However, the Reformation took a different form in different regions of Europe and was characterized largely by local factors.

The medieval Crusades were partly a response to the spread of Islam throughout Europe. In fact, the Islamic crusades sparked the fervent Christian crusades and both movements had their roots in religious fanaticism. Crusaders were like modern-day terrorists who envisioned a world fully converted to its own religious and social doctrine. The crusaders sought to convert anyone, by force if necessary.Although the crusades were continually justified by religious sentiment, they were perpetrated as political and economic tools too. The crusades were nothing less than militaristic cultural expansions, preventing the perceived enemy from achieving dominance in any region. Religion was tied to the state so inextricably that it was inconceivable to have a population belonging to one religion but governed by another. The crusades were therefore an attempt to control the sources of economic and political power as much as they were an attempt to spread faith.

References

Brehier, L. "Crusades." New Advent. Retrieved April 29, 2007 at http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04543c.htm

Feudalism in the Middle Ages." Retrieved April 29, 2007 at http://nc.essortment.com/feudalismmiddle_rgjn.htm

Kirsch, J.P. (1911). "The Reformation." New Advent. Retrieved April 29, 2007 at http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12700b.htm

The Middle Ages: Feudal Life." Retrieved April 29, 2007 at http://www.learner.org/exhibits/middleages/feudal.html.....