The Kingdom of England

1
The Kingdom of England

• Religion in England during the High Middle Ages

2
Overview of the Church

• Due to Gregorian reforms, the Church grew and
  began to gain wider influence
• Church earned 10 of peasant work, later
  receiving taxes from kings.
• Monasteries began to proliferate the countryside

3
Church vs. State

• During this period, there was often struggle
  between English monarchs and clergy.
• Major points of debate centered around
• Separation of courts
• Appointment of ecclesiastical positions
• Lay investiture (selling of clergy appointments)
• Money/Taxation issues
• Overall freedom and independence of the Church
  from rulers

4
William the Conqueror

• Ordinance of William I Separating the Spiritual
  and Temporal Courts
• Wherefore I command, and by royal authority
  decree, that no bishop or archdeacon shall any
  longer hold, in the hundred court, pleas
  pertaining to the episcopal laws, nor shall they
  bring before the judgment of secular men any case
  which pertains to the rule of souls
• This also I forbid and by my authority
  interdict, that any sheriff, or provost, or
  minister of the king, or any layman concern
  himself in the matter of laws which pertain to
  the bishop, nor shall any layman summon another
  man to judgment apart from the jurisdiction of
  the bishop. But judgment shall be passed in no
  place except within the episcopal see, or in such
  place as the bishop shall fix upon for this
  purpose

5
William II Rufus

• No respect for the clergy
• Saw the Church as a rich corporation deserving of
  heavy taxing
• Quarreled with Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury
  leading to archbishops exile
• Contemporary writings done by monks painted
  Rufus with a negative brush

6
Henry I Beauclerc

• Gregorian reformers opposed lay investiture
• Recalled Anselm of Bec, but Anselm refused to do
  homage
• Compromise Gave up authority in conferring
  sacred offices, but kept control over church
  appointments
• Kingship became secular and subservient in eyes
  of Church

7
Stephen

• Further deteriorating relationship with Church
• freedom of the Church promised at Council of
  Oxford (1136)
• Church given judicial latitude at expense of
  royal authority
• Persecuted Roger, Bishop of Salisbury, further
  alienating the Church.

8
Clerical Criminals

• Register of Roger, Bishop of Salisbury
• 3. with the power of canonical coercion to seek
  and receive in our nameall clerks who, for
  reason of feloniesby right ought to be able to
  be brought before us to receive justice in the
  ecclesiastical court

9
Henry II

• The church courts established by William I became
  safe haven for criminals
• Henry wished to transfer sentencing of certain
  cases to the royal courtsfeeling the church
  courts were too lenient
• Henrys close friend, Thomas Beckett was named
  Archbishop of Canterbury in 1162.

10
Constitutions of Clarendon (1164)

• 1. If a controversy arise between laymen, or
  between laymen and clerks, or between clerks
  concerning patronage and presentation of
  churches, it shall be treated or concluded in the
  court of the lord king.
• 3. Clerks charged and accused of any matter,
  summoned by the king's justice, shall come into
  his court to answer there to whatever it shall
  seem to the king's court should be answered
  there

11
King vs. Archbishop

• Thomas Beckett reluctantly agrees to provisions
  of Constitutions of Clarendon
• Pope Alexander condemns the agreementBecket
  reverses his stand and condemns the
  Constitutions.
• Bitter conflict ensues between former friends
  King Henry II and Archbishop Thomas, ending in
  Beckets death.

12
John Lackland

• Refused to go with Popes choice for Archbishop
  of Canterbury
• Lead to interdict in 1207 of England and the
  excommunication of John two years later
• Issue settled when John caved in to papal
  candidate and paid tribute as a vassal to the
  Pope.
• Signed the Magna Carta later that year, giving
  the Church freedom to make ecclesiastical
  appointments.

13
Henry III

• Reign coincided with an expansion of papal power
• Church felt interests hurt by Henrys use of
  foreign prelates on English sees.
• Excessive taxing by the Church on England ensued,
  with possible threats of excommunication.

14
Persecution of Jews

• The Jews were expelled from England in 1290
• Blood libels Jews accused of ritual murder
  (often of children)
• Jews often punished by death
• First accusations occurred in England in Norwich,
  recorded by Thomas of Monmouth.

Jews being tortured