Rise of Modern Europe

The roots of the Renaissance were laid because of the rivalry between Christianity and Islam for domination of the Mediterranean area. The Islamic invasion of France in the seventh century had inspired the French resistance that created the Holy Roman Empire, which lingered on in Germany until the nineteenth century. The Islamic universities in Spain transmitted the knowledge of the classics to Europe, as did the works broke back from Byzantium and the east by Crusaders returning home. This influx of what had been lost knowledge led to the transformation of cathedral schools in Europe into universities, at first in Italy, soon after in France and England.

The ôBabylonian Captivityö of the Pope in Avignon, France, from 1309 to 1372, which was followed by the Great Schism from 1377 to 1417, during which there were always two or three persons claiming to be the true Pope, effectively destroyed the churchÆs moral authority. Marsiglio of Padua, rector of the University of Paris, published his Defensor Pacis, which argued that final authority in the Christian church rested not in the Pope, but in the Ecumenical Council meeting of all the bishops. He was, of course, excommunicated as being a heretic, but his theory founded the ôConciliar Movementö within th

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Some common words found in the essay are:
Black Death, Roman Empire, Medici Pope, YearsÆ War, Council Constance, Avignon France, Italian Renaissance, Catholic Church, Including Medieval, Commons England, christian church, ecumenical council meeting, council meeting, middle class, roots renaissance, black death, holy roman, church continued, ecumenical council, yearsÆ war, effectively destroyed, hundred yearsÆ war,
Approximate Word count = 805
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page)

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