Repression of heresy. The defense of orthodoxy was a delicate task, and for this reason Pope Gregory IX removed the role of Inquisition judges from the secular power, and in 1233 entrusted it to the Dominicans, whose theological training and presence in the cities made them an effective weapon. The Franciscans also played a leading role in the repression of heresy, particularly between the 13th and 15th centuries. In this way, large mendicant orders, united by a vow of poverty and obedience to the pope, helped strengthen the church in a time of crisis.
