The need for change

 Over the years, Christianity became solidified in the Catholic church. The church was a religious force, but also a political force. During the Middle Ages, the system became more and more corrupt. The wealthy people could "buy" a seat in Heaven by purchasing "les reliques" or indulgences. For example, l'électeur de Saxe, Frédéric le Sage owned 17, 443 reliques which were supposed to spare him  128, 000 years in purgatory. The poor did not have these means.  They had to pay taxes to the government and taxes to the church. When the Plague swept through Europe, it  left many questioning about life after death. 

    People wanted to turn to the Bible for answers. But there was no Bible in the common language of the people .  With the invention of the printing press in the 1400's, more Bibles were printed in French for the people to read for themselves.  This led to a personal faith.

    On the political side, the individual kings and princes wanted more control over their territories. Grégoire VII proclaimed the universal authority of the Pope in 1075. The Pope could make decisions, raise taxes and gather an army from the entire Catholic world. The individual leaders wanted more independence.

     Everyone was a ready for a change. The religious people, the poor and the powerful began to protest.