The Black Death killed over 20 million Europeans between 1347-1350, weakening the population, economy, and social order of medieval Europe. This allowed monarchs to consolidate political power as the nobility and Church lost prestige. Conflict between the Church and monarchs, such as King Philip IV of France, led to the Babylonian Captivity and Great Schism, further undermining the authority and unity of the Catholic Church. Reformers like John Wycliffe and John Huss criticized the corruption of the Church, foreshadowing the Protestant Reformation.