The Pope is the head of the catholic Church and since all Europeans are firm believers, he uses this influence to take political power from Kings.Popes are elected by the cardinals (highest members of the church)

==The Church holds the social aspect of society, they open hospitals where the poor and the sick can live for free for a certain period of time to be taken care of by monks. Monasteries accept anyone in their order, so it is a great refuge for outcasts and orphans. As long as you follow the rules of the monastery, you will be fed and sheltered. The few existing schools are held by Monks and the vast majority of books have been copied by them. The Church keeps track of time (bells are rung every hours to indicate the time) and keep every records of birth (baptism) and marriages. Faith==is a very strong drive of society, to a point where people are willing to go to war and die in the crusades only because the church says god will pardon their sins. Wealthy nobles are spending fortunes to buy pardons from the church. Anyone willing to join the church can do so either as part of the secular or regular order. "Secular" members of the church follow the rules of the church and become priests, they are part of the "main branch" of the church and have to organise prayers. "Regular" members will join as Monks and follow specific rules related to the order they have chosen, they usually decide to recluse themselves in remote monasteries.