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...
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