The Roman Empire became too large to govern from Rome in 285 AD and was divided into Eastern and Western Empires. The Western Empire was defeated by Germanic Tribes in 476 AD and Italy was governed from Constantinople.until 1453.
https://www.ancient.eu/Roman_Empire/
Wealthy Italian City-States like Venice, Florence, Naples and Rome served as local governments after 476 AD and banned together when necessary and fought wars with each other. Popes occasionally functioned as Kings of Italy and the City-States monopolized their influence over the Papacy using bribery to appoint family members as Cardinals. Popes used their influence to gain wealth and assistance from other European Monarchs in France, Spain, Germany and Britain as needed.
The Pope served as a peer to the Monarchs and became involved in all political activities in Europe. In 800 AD, the Pope crowned Charlemagne Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire to reestablish a Western Empire overlay to the functioning kingdoms of Europe. This diminished Eastern Empire influence and consolidated European influence over the Church.
The consolidation of Church and State solidified as Prince-Bishops were appointed by Monarchs to govern the Duchies in their Kingdoms. They each had armies and functioned as Dukes with loyalties to the King. They were selected to ensure military and governing leadership and then ordained as Priests and consecrated as Bishops. It was designed to completely corrupt the Church.
The period from 476 AD to 1300 AD emphasized life after death. Life was often short and brutal. This was a period that saw plagues with population reductions and warming periods with population increases.
The population of the Roman Empire in 476 AD was about 50 million. Between 500 BC and 700 BC, the Plague of Justinian reduced Europe’s population by 50%. From 800 AD to 1300 AD the Medieval Warm Period resulted in a population increase from 60 million to 80 million. In 1300 AD, the Little Ice Age cooled temperatures. The black plague ravaged Europe from 1347 to 1353 and wiped out 60% of the population 50 million died.
1300 AD was another pivot point for Europe and the Church. It marked the beginning of the Renaissance, the Reformation and Global Colonization. 1300 AD marked the beginning of the Little Ice Age 1300 to 1750. The Pope lived in France from1309 to 1377. Pope Alexander VI 1492-1503 was the worst Pope in history. Pope Julius II 1503-1513 had to clean up the mess. Martin Luther 1517 objected to Catholic Church corruption. Henry XIII 1534 established the Church of England Europe experienced another warming period appeared in 1500 and it lasted until 1750.
By 1800, the French and American Colonists had rejected the Monarchy. After 1918, Russia replaced their Monarchy with a Marxist state. World War I from 1914 to 1918 destroyed Europe. World War II from 1939 to 1945 further destroyed Europe. Europeans questioned their faith and many stopped coming to church.
The Catholic Church reached its peak in the 1950s and declined in the 1960s after the Second Vatican Council in 1962.
Pope St. John Paul II began restoring the Catholic Church in 1978. His support of Solidarity in Poland led to the end of Communism in the USSR and Poland in 1990. Pope Benedict XVI continued this restoration in 2005 until he retired in 2013.
Pope Francis was elected in 2013 and triggered another decline as he partnered with the Liberal Marxists in the UN, EU, Muslims and socialist countries. His support of Liberal Scams shows his total lack of understanding of science, economics and human nature. He is enabling the Marxist and Muslim wars on Christianity.
https://www.britannica.com/place/Papal-States
http://althistory.wikia.com/wiki/Italian_League_(Principia_Moderni_II_Map_Game)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Julius_II
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_popes
https://www.ancient.eu/Roman_Empire/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Germany
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_population#Ancient_and_Post-classical_history
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader
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