The secular power of the Catholic Church reached its zenith during the Crusades and then began a decline. Please explain the reasons for the rise of this secular power and then describe the decline culminating in the Wars of Religion. Please include discussions on the essential function of monasteries and church organization, the effects of the Crisis of the Late Middle Ages, the effects of Renaissance Humanism, the rise of the Nation-States, and the Reformation.

The secular power of the Catholic Church reached its zenith during the Crusades and then began a decline. Please explain the reasons for the rise of this secular power and then describe the decline culminating in the Wars of Religion. Please include discussions on the essential function of monasteries and church organization, the effects of the Crisis of the Late Middle Ages, the effects of Renaissance Humanism, the rise of the Nation-States, and the Reformation.