Was the Roman Catholic Church corrupt in the Middle Ages?
Yes it was. Because it controlled the society and the government it was able to mass great wealth and power through out Europe. It sold indulges to help build the great churches. These were bits and pieces of bones and wood that the church claimed were parts of saints and the “true cross”. The popes controlled the kings and queens under them by threats and use of power. They owned vast estates and had a lot of land ( that’s one reason Henry VIII was so happy to get get his hands on the church property). With any organization that controls this much power and wealth there will be corruption.