History of the Christian Church, from the First to the Fifteenth Century (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1885. Excerpt: ... THE ELEVENTH CENTURY. During this century the power of the Church was nearly at its height, and though the age was not a learned one, it was distinguished by a remarkable amount of architectural skill. The bishops themselves, who were elevated to the rank of dukes and counts, and endowed with ample revenues, being the chief architects and builders; and many of the stately abbeys and cathedrals, both in our own country and abroad, bear witness to their wonderful power and genius. Building went on on every side, and it is said that in France alone there were at the beginning of this century about 1100 monasteries, and soon after more than 300 were built in that fair land. William, Duke of Normandy, the conqueror of England, was one of the greatest builders and patrons of architecture, and he restored the splendid Abbey of Fontenelle in 1035. The Eoman pontiffs were honoured with the pompous titles of Masters of the World, Popes, or Universal Fathers, and they took the lead in all ecclesiastical matters and assumed the right of presiding at the councils of the Church, either in their own persons or through legates; and they also declared that, in the " Holy See" all temporal as well as spiritual power rested, and that its occupiers alone were the arbiters of kingdoms and empires, and were the rulers of the different sovereigns of the earth. Of course their extraordinary assumptions were frequently opposed by kings and emperors, and by none more than by William the Conqueror. The popes who reigned in these tumultuous times were mostly nominees of princes or powerful popular leaders, among whom the Counts of Tusculum were pre-eminent, and through the influence of that family Benedict VIII. was raised to the Papal throne; but he soon found his seat contested by...