The system of ecclesiastical government in which the pope is recognized as the supreme head. The rise of papalism in the Middle Ages significantly influenced the political landscape of Europe.
The principles and policies of the papacy. Debates over papalism often centered around the extent of the pope's authority over secular rulers.
Roman Catholicism, especially when contrasted with other branches of Christianity; adherence to the Roman see. In Protestant tracts of the sixteenth century, papalism was often portrayed as a threat to national sovereignty.