A history of religious conflict in the middle ages

And, there appears to be no end in sight. While religious-based conflict may not be the core reason for the conflicts there in every instance, it surely is, at the very least, a basic influence and a major underpinning.

It is the era in which the great cathedrals of Europe were built and the Catholic Church started its universities in Paris, Tubingen, Cambridge and Oxford. The laws of the land and leading roles in the government were all in the hands of the leading church leaders like bishops and archbishops.

It was an era when the vested powers in the hands of the Pope were so great that he could even excommunicate a king for a misdeed. From birth to death, the life of the medieval people was dominated entirely by the church and many religious institutions gained power and wealth.

Jane Smith

Large Cathedrals were built when the traditional Roman style churches became insufficient for accommodating the increased population by the twelfth Century. Lausanne Cathedral and Regensburg Cathedral are among the most famous one built during this age, they are known for their architecture.

Christianity The monks and nuns in the Christian monasteries had to live by the rules set by St Benedict and were known as Benedictines. They were forbidden the right to their own property, to leave the monastery or get involved in worldly concerns and desires.

They had to perform manual labour and follow the stringent regulations of the Church. Monks and nuns of this era were generally well educated; they devoted their entire lives to learning and writing. Various scriptures on history and science in the era were written by monks.

The monasteries also served as a place for the preservation of the knowledge and learning of classical world. Monks were encouraged to copy valuable manuscripts in various languages making monasteries a haven for learning.

Middle Ages - Wikipedia

Pilgrimages were also an important religious activity of the medieval people. Visit to holy shrines such as the Church of St. James at Santiago de Compostela in Spain, the Canterbury cathedral in England, and sites in Jerusalem and Rome was considered to redeem people from their sins and open the gates of heaven.

The Early Middle Ages also saw an extensive increase in missionary activities. The missionaries spread Christianity to various parts of the world and helped in the fusion of various cultures along with it. Christian Campaigns against other Religions Since Christianity was the dominant religion during the Middle Ages, attempts to purify the church and society led to many Christian campaigns against other religions.

These campaigns were led by bishops, scholars and warriors who made efforts to make the Christian world free of all the non-Christians. This included Jews, Muslims and Pagans and Gypsies. Jews in fact suffered the most as they were considered to be the greatest threat to Christianity.The Foundations of Modern Science in the Middle Ages: Their Religious, Institutional and Intellectual Contexts (Cambridge Studies in the History of Science) [Edward Grant] on initiativeblog.com *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers.

Contrary to prevailing opinion, the roots of modern science were planted in the ancient and medieval worlds long before . While Christianity was the dominant religion in Medieval Europe, it was not the only one. In the early Middle Ages, there were some people who still believed in the ancient Greek and Roman gods which were popular during the time of the Roman Empire.

Religious Conflict Through the Ages The role religion plays in world history is, at best, tremendous. Through the ages, religion has both unified and divided civilizations often bringing extreme human casualty, in the case of division, or creating interesting new cultures, in the case of the latter.

Pope Leo IV, Pope Stephen, Arianism, Lombards, temporal power

Middle Ages, the period in European history from the collapse of Roman civilization in the 5th century ce to the period of the Renaissance (variously interpreted as beginning in the 13th, 14th, or 15th century, depending on the region of Europe and on other factors). For most Middle Eastern Muslims, it is a personal and professional third rail to call for the removal of religion from public life, let alone to call into question God’s existence.

Apr 22,  · The Middle Ages: Economics and Society ; People use the phrase “Middle Ages” to describe Europe between the fall of Rome in CE and the beginning of .