Page:General History of Europe 1921.djvu/314

226 General History oj Europe 363. Babylonian Captivity and Great Schism (isos-i-us). By the year 1300 the kings of England and France were coming into a position to enforce their claims against the Church. The power of the popes was weakened for various reasons, and finally the French king was able to get the seat of the papacy transferred from Rome to Avignon, a city on his frontier. Here the popes remained for over seventy years (1305-1377). This Babylonian Captivity, as it is called, was followed by a series of disputed elections, the "Great Schism," during which Europe was di- vided on the question as to who was the rightful Pope. Finally, in the fifteenth century, the popes once more regained a considerable part of the influence over European affairs that they had enjoyed in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries and returned to their ancient capital. QUESTIONS I. How did the king of the East Franks come to have the title of Emperor of the Romans ? What was the Holy Roman Empire ? How was the Church drawn into the feudal system ? In what ways did the feudal system threaten the prestige and resources of the Church ? What measures did the Church take to meet these difficulties ? How is the Pope elected today ? What is the college of cardinals ? What were the powers of the Pope as claimed in the Dictatus of Gregory VII? Has the Pope more or less power today than he had in the time of Gregory VII ? II. Give an account of the famous struggle between Henry IV and Gregory. How was the question of investiture finally settled? How did the medieval German Empire come to an end ? III. Give a picture of the medieval Church at the height of its power. In what ways did it resemble an international state? Why was the clergy so important in the Middle Ages ? What were the chief sources of difference between Church and State ? What was the Baby- lonian Captivity?