held the most power within the hierarchy of the church
could excommunicate the king
Some further explanation:
The history of monasticism (the life of monks) goes back at least as far as the 3rd century of Christian history. St. Anthony was famous in those days for going out into the desert to live by himself, and others followed his example. Beginning in the 4th century, communities of monks began to form to live in community with one another in monasteries. Copying books was one of their occupations together, along with prayer and daily tasks.
The office of the pope developed out of the position of the Bishop of Rome. Over time, the Bishop of Rome asserted more and more power over other bishops in the church. Leo the Great (5th century) and Gregory the Great (end of 6th century) were two key figures in advancing the power of the "universal bishop" of Rome as leader of the whole church. The doctrine of the pope being "infallible" (unable to be in error) when speaking on matters of faith and doctrine was not officially proclaimed until the First Vatican Council in the 19th century. However, that belief about the pope's authority had developed long before that, already during the Middle Ages.
