In time, the monasteries prospered too well, as in the case of the Cistercians, who built a thriving business selling high-quality wool and wine. Even with periodic renewals, the largely rural and self-contained monasteries were unable to respond to the growth of cities and commerce. The large-scale changes in the surrounding society soon facilitated the development of a new form of religious life, the mendicant orders, the most prominent of which were the Franciscans and Dominicans, both founded in the 13th century. The Protestant Reformation of the 16th century led to the founding of another prominent order, the Jesuits, who specialized in missionary efforts. As the older orders waxed and waned in numbers and effectiveness, new orders rose up to reinforce or replace them.
Religious orders follow a life cycle that resembles that of a Protestant sect.