Roman Catholic Church

The **Roman Catholic Church** is the current biggest branch of christianity, the religion is based of the teachings of Jesus Christ and God. The Roman Catholic religion has over 1,000,000 followers to this day. But the Church was infamous for failing to stop the Spanish Reconquista where the Christians would blow up and murder the Jews and Muslims and try to re take Granada.

The Catholic Church also failed to stop crusades against Jewish people. Some leaders of the Catholic church which were called "Popes" even encouraged violence against the two groups.

But the Catholic church has done many good things, a Pope by the name of Pope Pius apologized to the Jewish people for the false claims made by the past popes, The current Pope Francis I dedicated his life to helping people in need and spreading the good words of Jesus.

The Catholic church is one of the oldest religions in the world, they were founded hundreds of years ago, and It is the most followed and it is the oldest and biggest branch of Christianity.

## History of Roman Catholicism

The History of Catholicism is the same as the History of Christianity, Jesus was born son of Mary and Joseph, Jesus is laid in where Oxen feed on hay, he was named the son of god by name, and he made it possible for the blind to see, the death to hear, the dead to live, the lame to leap, the dum to speak and he forgave people of have sinned, Jesus befriended a beautiful woman by the name of Mary Magdalene whom was later named "Saint Mary Magdalene"

Jesus was unpopular in the Roman Empire, they feared that Jesus was spread Judaism to the Roman Empire, Jesus's friend by the name of Judas Iscariot betray Jesus and let him be executed. The 3 woman who saw Jesus die where, Mary Magdalene, Mary, and Mary of Clopas

Judas felt so bad for he had sinned, so he hung himself and died by suicide, Jesus forgave Judas for he had known Judas was going to betray him.

In the near fall of the Roman Empire, Emperor Constantine I (Or Constantine the Great) converted from Paganism to Christianity, this allowed the Roman Empire to live a little bit longer, but Constantine had to figure out a way to say that the Romans did not kill the profit Jesus Christ. So Constantine blamed the Jews for Jesus's death.

### Expelling religious groups

Many events like the Reconquista were the reason many Jews and Islamic people were killed, during the crusades the ottomans and the christian kingdoms were at war. France, England, Spain (Castile, Leon, and Aragon), Italy, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Bohemia, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and briefly Poland were apart of the christian Kingdoms who wanted to re take the Holy lands from the ottomans, the Ottomans were Turkey, and the middle east, The Catholic church was a huge part of the crusades.

The Catholic church wanted to help the Byzantine empire regain its old territory, so the Pope ordered another bloody crusade against the ottomans, but the ottomans took over the Byzantine empire and now it was part of the Ottoman Empire, In England Eleanor of Aquitaine whom was the most powerful woman in Europe sided with the Pope, Eleanor and her son Richard the Lionheart led a 3rd bloody crusade which many people were killed.

Eleanor's son Richard was shipwrecked to Cyprus where he killed the King and sold Cyprus for money, Richard went back with a lot of money, the Catholic church was getting more powerful, they had the power to annul marriages, declare people saints, and declare children invalid.

In Italy the Kingdom of Sicily wanted to regain Jerusalem which was dominated by the Ottomans, The Pope once again led another crusade this one though was no as bloody, the Ottomans sent there archers to Jerusalem, at the end Germany dominated Jerusalem.

### Children's Crusade of 1212

On the exact year of 1212, the christian Kingdom of France had a different idea, other then starting a long and bloody crusade, they could allow children to march while holding crosses, this plan was to protest against the Ottomans and regain the Holy lands. France had the popes blessing to do this so many children marched around the city of Paris, but this plan was a disaster. Many children were abducted by local sailors and sold as slaves. Many children were killed by people whom were ottomans.

## Sainthood

*Main article: Saint (Title)*

The title "Saint" was given to people who dedicated there life to God and the Catholic Church, most of these Saints never married either because they were nuns, they were religious, or because they died young. Jesus was never considered a Saint, he was considered more then a Saint, The first person to ever be venerated was Jesus's mother Mary in 400 AD. Mary was given the title "Saint of Saints", "Queen of Heaven", "Queen of Peace and Justice", and "Mother of God".

The second person to be venerated the same year was Joseph, Father of Jesus, then John the baptist who baptized Jesus, then Mary Magdalene, then Mary of Clopas, and then other saints many years later.

Sainthood is taken very seriously, during the veneration of Joan of Arc whom was a French hero, people voted if she should be considered Saint, the majority voted yes so Joan was named "Saint Joan" or "Saint Jeanne d'Arc"

## Pope Alexander VI

Alexander VI (*Real name:* Rodrigo Borgia) was the most infamous pope the Catholic church ever had, popes were suppose to remain Virgin, and never marry, but her did to opposite, he had a mistress who bore him 4 children that are important, Cesare, Lucrezia, Giovanni, and Gioffre Borgia. Alexander had his immoral son Cesare a Cardinal and he married his Daughter Lucrezia to an Italian Prince. His eldest son Giovanni was the head of the Italian army, but Cesare and Lucrezia murdered him and Cesare became the head.

Alexander's youngest son Gioffre Borgia married Sancha of Aragon whom was also known as Sancha of Naples, after marrying the Princess of Naples, Gioffre had a claim to the throne of Naples because his wife was the daughter of Alfonso II, King of Naples, but an Aragonese King and the French King dominated Naples for themselves.

The most famous of Alexanders children Lucrezia and Cesare were rumored to be lovers, but the rumor is unlikely it was most likely Italian Propaganda to overthrow Alexander. Alexander was probably murdered by his son Cesare when Alexander VI died.

### Rumors about the house of Borgia

The Borgia's were with no doubt infamous, Alexander was probably the only pope to murder anyone. The most famous rumor was the Lucrezia and Cesare scandal, but another scandal claimed Lucrezia was a murderer of her many lovers. Lucrezia was very beautiful so she abducted guys then murdered them, Lucrezia was probably a Murderer, but she probably did not have a love affair with her brother, nor did she murder her lovers.

She was nicknamed "The Vatican Princess" for she was born daughter of a Pope with royal ancestory.

## How to become Pope

Becoming Pope was a job that you could not just aply for, first you have to be a man, there has never been an actual female Pope, though some people think there has been one female pope named "Pope Joan" you had to take a test as a priest, then when you become priest you had to become an Archbishop, sometimes the rank "Archbishop" was given to people who had proven then selves great worriers or people who do very nice things, but the rank mostly went to former priests.

In order to become an Archbishop you have to be chosen by the Pope, if you happen to be in the lucky few you no longer are in charge of a church, as an Archbishop your in charge of a cathedral.

The next step is becoming a Cardinal, only 200 Cardinal's are chosen per papacy, you have to be voted by Archbishops and accepted by the Pope, if you happen to be chosen your now a Cardinal. Your next step is becoming Pope.

When the Pope dies, a meeting is held in the room he died in, everyone gets rid of there phones, computers, laptops, or anything valuble. They vote on a peace of paper, the papers are thrown in the fire, if the smoke turns white that means there is a new Pope, if the smoke turns black the process of voting needs to restart.

When the smoke is white the Pope will re required to chose a new name, it is formal to chose a name that other popes had used like Paul, Juan, or Pius. But the choice is up to the new Pope. The pope will then be shown to the public and cheered.

## Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon affair

In 1531 the King of England Henry VIII wanted to divorce his Spanish wife Catherine of Aragon so that he could marry his wives friend Anne Boleyn, The pope at the time was Pope Clement VII, Anne Boleyn was a follower of the Protestant reformation that stood against the Catholic Church, Anne Boleyn was supported by her sister Mary Boleyn in this affair, but Catherine of Aragon was the daughter of a very rich family, trough Catherine's sister Joanna of Castile Catherine was supported by her niece Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Charles at the time was the most powerful person in Europe, Charles threatened Henry if he divorced Catherine that he would invade England, but Charles was to sick and busy to actually get in the center of this event and he failed to stop Henry from divorcing Catherine.

Henry separated from the Catholic church and turned to a different type of Christianity called Protestantism, where Henry could grant himself permission to divorce Catherine, Henry became a Protestant and divorced Catherine, and then he married Anne Boleyn.

### Martin Luther and the Protestant reformation

Henry became a follower of a certain German man by the name of Martin Luther whom thought the pope had to much power, he wrote a list of complaints which he nailed on the door of a Church which got him excommunicated by the Catholic church, but Martin Luther did not care, he began growing many followers including the Queen of Navarre whom was Jeanne III, Queen of Navarre. He also had some support by the niece of Catherine of Aragon whom was Mary of Austria, Queen of Hungary.

Followers of Luther called themselves "Lutherens" and they started Protestantism, many countries started outlawing the religion and killing anyone who followed it, Catherine of Aragon's daughter Queen Mary I burned Protestants alive, Mary was known as "Bloody Mary".

## Excommunication

Excommunication in the Catholic Church was when you were not aloud not worship in a Catholic church, many famous people like Martin Luther had been a victim of Excommunication:

**List of famous people whom were excommunicated**

* Marin Luther
* Henry VIII, King of England
* Anne Boleyn
* Mary Boleyn
* Elizabeth I, Queen of England
* Jeanne III, Queen of Navarre
* Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor
* Isabelo de los Reyes

## Today

Today the current Pope is Pope Francis I.