The original impetus to the great increase in papal power during the High Middle Ages was the

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The emergence of a reform movement criticizing Church corruption and moral laxity, led by figures such as Pope Gregory VII and St. Bernard of Clairvaux, was the main force behind the increase in papal power during the High Middle Ages. This movement sought to establish the supremacy of the Church over secular rulers, to reform clerical morals and enforce greater discipline, and to centralize the institution of the Church under the pope. As a result of this movement, the papacy gained greater control over appointments, finances, and doctrine, and came to be seen as the ultimate arbiter of spiritual authority in Christendom.

The Original Impetus to the Great Increase in Papal Power