Why Did Four Popes Excommunicate Frederick II

question 22

Multiple Choice

Why did four popes excommunicate Frederick II?

• A) He wanted to control Italy, and in an era of papal expansion, the popes were threatened by his territorial and imperial claims.
• B) He had supported heretical movements, including the Cathars in southern France.
• C) He had worked too closely with Jews and Muslims because of his Sicilian ties.
• D) He had challenged the authority of the clergy to administer the new sacraments created by the Fourth Lateran Council.

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