cleric A man in church orders.
collegiate church A church for priests living in common according to a rule.
The Crucifixion The execution of Jesus by hanging on a cross (crux in Latin). The
scene, described in some detail in the Gospels, was often depicted in art; and
free-standing crucifixes (crosses with the figure of Jesus on them) were often
placed upon church altars.
diet A formal assembly of German princes.
dogma The authoritative truth of the church.
empire Refers in the first instance to the Roman Empire. Byzantium considered itself
the continuation of that empire. In the West, there were several successor
empires, all ruled by men who took the title “emperor”: there was the empire of
Charlemagne, which included more or less what later became France, Italy, and
Germany; it was followed in the tenth century (from the time of Otto I on) by the
empire held (after a crowning at Rome) by the German kings. This could be
complicated: a ruler like Henry IV was king of Germany in 1056 at the age of six,
but, as a minor, his kingdom was ruled by his mother and others in his name. In
1065, at the age of 15, he became an adult and was able to take the reins of
power. But he was not crowned emperor until 1084. Nevertheless, he acted as an
emperor long before that. That “German” empire, which lasted until the
thirteenth century, included Germany and (at least in theory) northern Italy. Some
historians call all of these successor empires of Rome the “Holy Roman Empire,”
but in fact, although Barbarossa called his empire sacer, “holy,” the full phrase
“Holy Roman Empire” was not used until 1254. This empire, which had nothing
to do with Rome, ended in 1806. By extension, the term empire can refer to
other large realms, often gained through conquest, such as the Mongol Empire or
the Ottoman Empire.
episcopal As used for the Middle Ages, this is the equivalent of “bishop’s.” An
“episcopal church” is the bishop’s church; an “episcopal appointment” is the
appointment of a bishop; “episcopal power” is the power wielded by a bishop.
excommunication An act or pronouncement that cuts someone off from participation in
the sacraments of the church and thus from the means of salvation.
