The Revival of Monarchies

Even as the papacy was exercising its authority by annulling marriages and calling crusades, most kings and other rulers were enhancing and consolidating their own power. They created new ideologies and dusted off old theories to justify their hegemony (dominating influence), they hired officials to work for them, and they found vassals and churchmen to support them. Money gave them greater effectiveness, and the new commercial economy supplied them with increased revenues. The exception was the emperor in Germany, who was weakened by the Investiture Conflict.