Question

How did the Church's landownership impact its political power?

A. It increased its political power because it meant that the Church could call for a Crusade.
B. It increased its political power since under the feudal system, land was wealth.
C. It decreased its political power because the Church could not convince monarchs to donate land.
D. It decreased its political power because the Church had little land compared to nobles.
I would say **B**

Answer 1

You're right — B is correct.

Under the feudal system land = wealth and political influence. As a major landholder, the Church collected rents and tithes, exercised lordly rights and jurisdiction, held vassals, and its bishops and abbots often served as important feudal lords and advisers to monarchs. That wealth and legal authority translated into real political power.

(Options A, C, and D are incorrect: calling a Crusade rested on spiritual/papal authority rather than landownership; the Church generally did receive and hold large estates rather than being unable to; and it often held as much or more land than many nobles.)