The Catholic Church supported the claims of monarchs primarily through the doctrine of the divine right of kings, which held that monarchs derive their authority directly from God. This theological principle meant that questioning a monarch's authority was tantamount to questioning God's will, thereby legitimizing royal power as sacred and inviolable
. This idea was rooted in biblical interpretations, such as St. Augustine's view that secular rulers are instituted by God to serve His ultimate purpose, and it became central to medieval and early modern Catholic political thought
. The Church also exercised practical support for monarchs by acting as advisors and power brokers. High-ranking church officials often served as royal counselors, influencing policy and governance. Prominent examples include Cardinal Thomas Wolsey in England and Cardinals Richelieu and Mazarin in France. The Church itself was a major landowner and feudal power, with some bishops and archbishops holding secular lordships and even sovereign authority, reinforcing the intertwining of ecclesiastical and royal power
. Moreover, the Church formed formal alliances with monarchies, granting kings and queens rights such as appointing bishops in exchange for loyalty to the Church. Notable agreements include those with the Spanish monarchy in 1486 and the French king in 1516, exemplifying the "alliance of throne and altar." This alliance reinforced the Church's support for absolute monarchies and helped maintain its influence within Catholic countries
. In Spain, the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II and Isabella I used their authority, supported by the Church, to strengthen royal power by creating institutions like the Holy Brotherhood and the Royal Council, which helped centralize judicial and administrative control
. This consolidation of power was seen as part of a divinely sanctioned order. While the Church historically favored monarchy as a god-ordained system, it did not dogmatically insist that monarchy was the only legitimate form of government. Popes like Leo XIII acknowledged that no particular government form was exclusively chosen by God and that nations could select their own systems
. Nonetheless, the Church's longstanding alliance with monarchs and its theological justification of their authority played a crucial role in supporting monarchical claims throughout history. In summary, the Catholic Church supported monarchs by:
- Theologically endorsing the divine right of kings, framing monarchs' authority as God-given
- Acting as political advisors and power brokers, with church officials holding significant secular influence
- Forming formal alliances granting monarchs ecclesiastical privileges in exchange for loyalty
- Supporting monarchs' efforts to centralize and strengthen royal authority, as seen in Spain under the Catholic Monarchs
This support helped legitimize and sustain monarchies in Catholic countries for centuries.
