King Philip IV of France's ability to move Pope Clement V's court to Avignon demonstrates the:
A)gulf between the theoretical and actual power of the papacy.
B)flexibility of papal governance.
C)piety of Philip IV.
D)destitution of the papacy.
E)enormous respect Clement had for Philip.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fact that a secular monarch like Philip IV was able to make the papacy relocate to Avignon shows that the theoretical power of the papacy was not enough to resist the influence of powerful monarchs. This highlights the gulf between the theoretical power of the papacy and its actual power in practice.

King Philip IV of France's Ability to Move Pope Clement