'Pope Joan Essay\r'

'During the Middle Ages, the perform and the emperor competed for control of the holy romish Empire. The church service and the emperor districtd jointly everyplace the sanctified Roman Empire. Although the church service had a expectant deal of fountain, the emperor was equ completelyy as sourceful in his surr eat uper got way. Moreover, the mightinesss of perform and the emperor strifeed with from from each cardinal ace other. This led to a variety of power struggles. The falsehood pope Joan by Donna Wolff Cross explores these power struggles and vividly shows how they withdraw a expectness more(prenominal) difficult for mint at completely levels of society. This Is very potent and recurring theme In the fabrication.There atomic number 18 legion(predicate) powers that collide with iodin another(prenominal) In the novel; however, the dominating powers In the Holy Roman Empire atomic number 18 two Institutions that push each other: the Roman Cathol ic church building and the emperor. Both consider themselves In charge. The church service declares Itself more powerful than the emperor moth, and uses Its power to preserve loyalty to the Church and Its power over the mountain. pope Gregory demonstrates his power by going to the emperor besidesterfly to overthrow the feud amidst the emperor and his sons. This shows that he, as the pope, has enough power to end wars and disputes with he Emperor.pope Gregory comments on his own power as he prays duteous, â€Å"Christ Jesus, give me wisdom I need this day… Show me the way to stave by this unholy war and reconcile these rebellious sons to the Emperor their father. ” (Cross 174) On the contrary, the Emperor arguably does not form as much power as the Pope; however, the Emperor, Lothario, believes he does. â€Å"Trust in God, Count Gerald… Im Heavens anointed pouf; He go forth not fail to hand us victory. ” (Cross 217) Emperor Lothario believes he is truly connected to God. Through bring out the novel he feels that he should rule over doth his kingdom and the Church.The power struggle among the Pope and the Emperor leads them to try to sabotage each other and increases the misery and erecting of their people. The Emperor tries to embrace more power by having the Pope turn thumbs down while the Pope makes sure the Emperors power is in check by killing the Emperors allies. An example of this is the Popes array to kill Theodore and social lion, two of the Emperors allies. â€Å"Several times they stumbled and most fell on the tile floor, slippery with course… The men forced Theodore and Leo to their knees and pulled their heads forward.One man elevated a long stigma over Oleos eff and with one quick stroke, decapitated him. But Thresholds cut was thick… It took three or four sword strokes to cleave his head from his body. ” (Cross 44) This shows how the Pope uses black lotion to itch the power of the Emperor. In addition, It shows how in the struggle for power, so far those at the top of society are not safe. The Emperor and the Church keep different ship canal to maintain power over their people. These methods of control cause consider adapted misery for the people. The Church retains its power by threatening the people with Hell In the afterlife.It puzzles In power by make the people fear for their souls eternal damnation and this causes a great deal of spiritual distress. For example, a young male child Is despondent as he confesses to Pope Leo about the Innocent blood he has dangle because he fears for his Immortal soul: â€Å"l cannot live with what Eve done. Pronounce me my penance ; I exit bear any Emperor uses his ramp upies and weaponry to stay in power. It is the loyalty of the Emperors army that enables him to do this. The Emperors troops are so loyal to him and that they are willing and yearning to kill anyone. With a wild shout, a concourse from he imperial vanguard burst out of formation, spurring their horses into a disorderly run, racing against one another for the glory of being the first to take over the enemy before the eyes of their Emperor. ” (Cross 219) The Church and Emperor also use alike methods to keep their power. For example, twain punish their people for crimes in similar ways. The Emperor has knights that manage the law and the Pope has church officials that contend the law. Both of their methods of punishment for crimes are similar and harsh.For instance, in the novel the Emperors lords boil a Nans hand and arm for lying about stealing farm animals. An yield similar to this relates to how one of the church officials handles a highwayman by having his give cut off, â€Å"Benedict screamed as his severed hands dropped to the ground, spurting blood… The swordsman nailed Benedicts severed hands to the side of the she-wolf. ” (Cross 297) The Emperor and the Church both keep their pow er using similar and different methods of control which cause great smart for their people. Although the Emperor does have power, he always postulate to assert it to keep the Churchs power is in check.Emperor Lothario makes many bold feats to control the Church. In one instance, when the Church does not go through with a consecration, Emperor Lothario wages wax out war on the Church. One of Pope gross informants comes to near and bawl to him, â€Å"His soldiers pl below all before them, ransacking the farms, carrying off the livestock, pulling up the vines by their roots. They take what they want, and what they do not want, they burn. Those who get in their way they kill without mercy- women, old men, babes in arms- none are spared.The horror-” (Cross 273) This proceeding led by Emperor Lothario does not succeed, but it causes many people to suffer and die. Another attempt to decrease the Churchs power occurs when Emperor Lothario conspires with Anastasia to make the p eople supporting the Church pledge their loyalty to the Emperor. â€Å"An vow is only words. The people need a Pope who can lead them back to their old ways- to the freakish Empire, and to you, my liege. ” (Cross 291) The last attempt that Emperor Lothario makes toward the Church is the assassination of the commander of Pope Jeans militia, Gerald: â€Å"…The men abruptly heeled, pulled weapons from the secluded folds of their garments, and came at Gerald. â€Å"(Cross 402) In this attempt, the Emperor succeeds, and kills two birds with one stone. The Emperor weakens the militia by killing its gallant, slippery leader and kills the Pope by putting her under a prolonged period of stress. This causes her to have a premature birth and she dies in labor. Emperor Lothario makes many attempts to decrease the power of the Church, and is successful in the end but a considerable personal toll to many. Both the Church and the Emperor dominate the Holy RomanEmpire, but Anast asia who is able to play both sides against each other. Anastasia has ties with the Church and the Emperor. Anastasia uses both connections to his advantages, which grant him powerful stains among the two. Because Anastasia knows how political science work, he is able to wrap the Emperor approximately his finger and earn rewards. â€Å"Once Lothario was crowned in his fathers place, he would know how to reward Anastasia for the work he had done here. ” (Cross 176) Anastasia has helped one day help make him Pope; however, Anastasia never reaches the title of Pope.Anastasia has power that that accompanies wealthiness and also possesses the power of persuasion and shrewdness. Anastasia with his intellect is able to earn high positions in spite of appearance the Church which accord him to be an informant to the Emperor. ” Soon after Egregious election, Anastasia would be appointed Bishop of Castellated, a perfect position from which to ascend the papal throne after Se rious… ” (Cross 242) Anastasia also uses his fathers influence to persuade his adversaries to vote him Pope. â€Å"in the beginning God the priest is lying Surely my countrymen will not believe the word of foreigner over that of a fellow Roman!Anastasia uses his adversaries to vote for him as Pope, but Joan accuses him of being corrupted. Even though Anastasia never reached Pope, he had power that helped him in the Church and with the Emperor. Anastasia is one of the people in the novel who has power and who is unremarkably discreet about using it. Although there are many different power struggles in the novel between the Church and the Emperor, there are many people who were not able to gain their want power. One minor character that never regained their power was Jeans father, the Canon. When he lost his position asCanon, he asked his young lady to get him a position in the Church again but he died shortly afterwards. Mimi have lost your position? ” [Joan in quired] Reluctantly, her father nodded. â€Å"But vigor violent, I have the strength and skill to do Gods work yet. ” (Cross 210) One person who never gains their full power over the Church was Anastasia. Anastasia never becomes Pope because Emperor Lothario dies before making him Pope. â€Å"Lothario was long deathly… ” (Cross 407) Another person who never gains full power over the Holy Roman Empire was Lothario. He dies and is never able to control the Church from within with one of his adversaries. .. Having died after a few months of divergence Rome. His throne had gone to his first son Louis II… ” We see how these characters are unable to fulfill their destinies because of the gummy competition for power. The novel, Pope Joan, encompasses many different kinds of power struggles. The main power struggle is between the Church and the Emperor. Although both have the same religious views, they have very different views on who is in charge. Pope J oan illustrates the many different forms of power and power struggles show during the medieval era of the Holy Roman Empire.In addition, the novel shows how these power struggles affect people at all levels of society to varying degrees. Those at the top whitethorn suffer death, be disenfranchised or be discredited. Soldiers willingly charge to their deaths in blind loyalty to their Emperor. Those at bottom of society may suffer death, disfigurement or cruelty at the hands of unsympathetic soldiers or harsh magistrates. Pope Joan shows how the conflict at the top between the Church and the Emperor permeates down through all levels of society making life during the Middle Ages more difficult for everyone.\r\n'