Popes held an important place in Florentine government, even though they weren't in the same rank as the king (queen bee). Their great power came mainly from the fact that religion (Christianity) was a big part of the Florentines' lives. They were in charge of religious teaching and explaining matters of faith. Popes also punished anyone who had different religious beliefs than the church, because everyone was expected to worship God the same way. Along with being part of the church, Popes were very wealthy and some of them actually ruled parts of Italy. At one point, the popes believed that the kings should listen to them. Conflict occurred during this time because the kings did not approve of the Popes' opinions. Although the king was the head of this system (head of the hive), popes were most definitely in high ranks.
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